WINNIPEG ? A plastic surgeon in Manitoba says his local health region is wading into murky waters by funding tummy tucks for a select group of patients.

More than 218 tummy tucks and fat-reducing surgeries were funded by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority in 2003-04, up from 151 the previous year.

The funding criteria for plastic surgery boils down to whether it is a medically necessary procedure, Health Minister Tim Sale said. ??It's one of those judgment calls about the severity of the condition. It is funded where the condition is medically a serious issue,'' Sale said, noting if the purpose is purely cosmetic, it won't be insured.

Coleen Quigley, who lost more than 200 pounds following bariatric surgery, had the province pick up the tab for her tummy tuck, saving the Winnipegger about $4,500.

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