West LA Times

• The majority of Americans receiving health insurance from their employer are subject to an annual deductible.
• If you've already met your deductible, you have the opportunity to save on healthcare costs at the end of the year.
• If you're struggling with sinusitis, a balloon sinuplasty is a quick, in-office procedure that many medical insurance companies cover in some form.

One strategy for cutting costs before the end of the year is to make the most of your health insurance if you've met your deductible. Many sinusitis sufferers have the opportunity to treat their issues at a lower cost during this time, and Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free said a balloon sinuplasty is the safest procedure you can undergo to fix sinus troubles.

"This is by far the most effective tool at our disposal for opening the sinus passageways in a minimally invasive way, providing for a quick recovery and an effective, long-lasting result," Dr. Hershcovitch told the West LA Times. "To be honest, almost everybody is a good candidate for this. Because this is done here in the office as a minimally invasive procedure, the balloon sinuplasty is one of the safest, if not the safest, sinus procedures you can actually undergo."

Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation, is a procedure designed to alleviate blocked sinuses, according to Healthline. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005, this relatively new procedure is often colloquially known as the "smart sinus" technique. It's minimally invasive and can be completed in an in-office setting.

In its 2014 statement, the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) advocated for the inclusion of balloon sinuplasty as a standard covered procedure by all insurance providers.

Not only does a balloon sinuplasty cost much less than other traditional sinus procedures, but many insurance companies are now offering either partial or complete coverage of the treatment, according to GoodRX.

According to SoCal Breathe Free's website, Dr. Matt Hershcovitch pursued his undergraduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), earning a degree in nuclear engineering. Following this, he attended the State University of New York for his medical education. He then completed his residency training in head and neck surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and concluded his training with a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Stanford University.