Patient associations AGL (Galician Lymphedema, Lipedema, and Chronic Venous Insufficiency Association) and ADELIPE (Spanish Association of People Affected by Lipedema) consider the ruling issued on February 3, 2026, by the High Court of Justice of Galicia to be “historic.” The ruling overturns the initial decision of Social Court No. 6 of Vigo and recognizes a patient’s right to be reimbursed for expenses arising from lipedema surgery performed at a private medical center.
The court ruling accepts the plaintiff’s defense argument regarding the existence of a “vital urgency,” understood not as an immediate threat to the patient’s life, but as a situation involving severe functional disability, permanent pain, and the progressive deterioration of the patient’s physical and psychological condition.
This judicial decision represents an important precedent in Galicia and also at the national level, as it orders the Galician Health Service (SERGAS) to fully cover the cost of the procedure, amounting to €21,750. The ruling marks a milestone for people affected by lipedema, a chronic disease recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) since May 18, 2018, and included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) under code EF02.2.
From AGL and ADALIPE, they emphasize that this ruling “opens a door to hope for thousands of women who have spent years suffering from an underdiagnosed and invisible disease.” The organizations recall that, eight years after the official recognition of lipedema by the WHO, autonomous communities and public health systems still have not incorporated specific protocols or assumed responsibility for the treatments required by patients.
“Lipedema is not obesity or a cosmetic issue,” stress AGL and ADALIPE. “It is a chronic condition related to hormonal changes and with a significant genetic component, which causes pain, inflammation, functional limitations and, without proper treatment, can lead to disability.” The progression of the disease differs from one patient to another and may become chronic, causing lymphedema, chronic venous insufficiency, circulatory problems, mobility difficulties, and other serious health complications.
The associations explain that conservative treatment is essential to slow the progression of the disease and improve patients’ quality of life through specialized physiotherapy, psychological support, tailored nutrition, therapeutic exercise, and the use of compression garments.
The socio-health organizations warn that “in many cases, surgery becomes an essential treatment when conservative measures are not sufficient.” In this regard, they note that procedures must be performed by professionals specialized in plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, general surgery, or vascular surgery, and insist that “this is not a cosmetic operation, but a healthcare necessity.”
AGL and ADALIPE call for this ruling to serve as a precedent so that the Galician and Spanish public healthcare systems effectively assume responsibility for lipedema treatments, preventing patients from having to resort to private healthcare and bear high financial costs in order to receive appropriate medical care.
“Patients cannot continue to suffer from institutional neglect or inequality in access to treatment,” both organizations conclude.
REFERENCES:
COGAMI (Galician Confederation of People with Disabilities)
https://www.cogami.gal/es_ES/difusion/sala-de-prensa/noticias-cogami-social/lipedema-cuando-la-falta-de-reconocimiento-publico-convierte-el-diagnostico-en-una-carrera/
DIARIO DE SANTIAGO (News Media)
