07/18/2025
USA tends to be way behind Europe when it comes to Lymphedema/Lipedema understanding/treatments
🎉 Big News for Women with Lipedema in Germany! 🇩🇪
Liposuction for lipedema is now officially approved for health insurance provision in Germany 🙌💉
🟣 The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) confirmed today that liposuction is a proven and beneficial treatment for lipedema in the legs and arms — regardless of disease stage.
📋 Eligibility is likely to require:
✅ Official diagnosis from 2 healthcare professionals
✅ 6 months of conservative treatment
✅ Stable body weight
💡 This decision is based on strong scientific evidence — especially the pivotal LIPLEG study — and reflects a major shift toward recognizing patient needs and lived experiences.
📆 Outpatient billing codes are expected by 1 January 2026, making treatment more accessible in clinical practice.
Lipedema World Alliance congratulates all involved in the decisions and contributions, including LWA Board Members Professors Manuel Cornely and Mojtaba Ghods whose surgical centres provided the majority of LIPLEG patients, and Dr Gabriele Faerber co-ordinator and lead author of the German Lipedema Guidelines under the guidance of the German Society of Phlebology and Lymphology. LWA was also pleased to see the Committee considering the patient perspective through the evidence given by Susanne Helmbrecht of the LWA Founder Member patient organisation Lymphselbsthilfe e.V.
Together, we move forward for better care. 💜
