Breast reduction surgery not covered by workers comp

An Australian woman who reportedly claimed a work injury caused her to gain weight can't receive workers compensation to pay for a related $20,000 breast reduction surgery.

The woman works for the Australian Taxation Office and said she suffers neck and shoulder pain caused by computer-related tasks, according to media reports.

She reportedly received workers comp for the neck and shoulder conditions and claimed that her ailments caused her weight to increase. In turn, the woman reportedly claimed that her weight fluctuations also caused her breast size to balloon from a DD cup to a EE or F cup, and she sought to have Comcare — a public workers comp fund — pay for a breast reduction.

Australia's Administrative Appeals Tribunal denied the claim, saying that the woman's overrunning cups would be better remedied by weight loss than surgery.

“No doubt that there are numerous possible ways to lose weight, and the costs of a dietician, exercise program, or enrollment in an organization such as Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers would be considerably less costly than the approximately $20,000 cost,” the decision reads, according to a quote in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.