wondering on Insurance Company's..

Hello everyone, I was just wondering which insurance company everyone is using and what if any problems you might be having getting approvals..??? I am using Sloan's Lake PPO.. And according to them they will pay only if medical necessity is proved.. the office lady informed me that to-date about 235 applications for this has been submitted, although only 5 have been approved so far.. And to top it all off they are in the process of rewriting their program to not allow ANY WLS's in the future.. So as you can all see I am in for a fight in order to have my surgery.. I need to so bad!! and I hold my breath each time to phone rings hoping and praying it is them saying I am approved.. Please tell me about your struggles in the insurance games...

Don't worry. At this point none of the Ins Co's like the idea.Congress is trying to pass a bill that will not allow Ins Co's to dicriminate against obesity.They want it to go into affect on 8/1/03. Keep bugging your insurance. Ask who the senior medical director is. Good Luck and Hang in There. Monica Lamoureaux-Braun

Hi. I have United Health Care Option PPO. Sad to say, we have an exclusion for the surgery. My company is self-insured and can remove the exclusion. I have asked them to do this. I have not received an answer. It is an emotional battle, that is for sure! Check with your company and see if they can keep any exclusion off of your policy. UHC has also removed the surgery from what they cover, however, companies that are self-insured can choose to have the surgery added. I hope you get approved!

I've heard rumors about insurance companies getting strict about aproving WLS...but I've also heard about strides being made by lawyers, congress, and other people in "high places" to make it easier for us to have it done! We just gotta keep pluggin' away, I guess! I have Independence Blue Cross and so far, they have been ok, but Im really only in the beginning of the approval process, so we shall see. I'll keep my fingers crossed for all of you and hope that everything works out for the best!

I have CIGNA HMO and Ive heard that its literally impossible to get them to approve and Im really stressin! Im wondering if maybe I should get an attorney prior to asking for approval just to kinda get someone in my corner - this is so important to me that I couldnt even imagine the devistation of being denied. Have any of you had to deal with CIGNA HMO?

Hi, It is good to know that I am not the only person trying to get the WLS done. I need some help finind out about Medicaid though. I seem to be running into problems finding a surgeon willing to work with them. Please help me if you know of any. Thanks, and good luck to all. Heather Canon City