Insurance says DS investigational: a how-to manual
SUMMARY CONCLUSION
There is no literature presented by any authority that mandated weight loss, once a patient has been identified as a candidate for bariatric surgery, is indicated. There is a mixture of results that question whether weight or truncal obesity is a risk factor for complications after bariatric surgery. The more analytic studies have not found that body mass index (BMI) or total weight is an independent risk factor for complications or death from bariatric surgery.
No institution that has recently published data on bariatric surgery describes a protocol requiring weight loss between identification of the need for surgery and the surgery. Many institutions in California have published results of surgery with particular focus on factors that contribute to morbidity and mortality. No paper from a California institution mentions mandated weight loss before bariatric surgery. Nor does any literature regarding the treatment for the morbidly obese recommend continued weight loss during the period between identification of the need for bariatric surgery and the surgery.
Mandated weight loss prior to indicated bariatric surgery is without evidence-based support. Mandated weight loss prior to indicated bariatric surgery leaves the patient at increased risk from the patient’s comorbidities. Mandated weight loss prior to indicated bariatric surgery is not medically necessary. Mandated weight loss prior to indicated bariatric surgery would be deviant from the standard of care practiced in the United States and other published countries. The risks of delaying bariatric surgery, while not entirely known in the short-term, are real and can be measured. Any potential value of losing weight prior to bariatric surgery is theoretical and not supported by any data. An experimental study including fully informed consent to determine if there were a reduction in risks or other benefit from mandated weight loss prior to bariatric surgery is indicated.
My Friends Sarah Ezra and Collette Adams are running a marathon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. They are raising funds to stop Leukemia, Lymphoma and Hogdkin's Disease. They need your support!!! Please donate!! any amount!!! Thanks!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf08/sezra (Sarah's Page)
http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf08/cadamsdv8m (Collettes)
THANK YOU!!! Hugs, Maya
Hi, I know I'm late in replying to this post so I'm hoping you get this. Here goes....I have Tricare Prime. It is an entity all it's own. Any suggestions??? Thank you for all your time and effort in helping us all win our insurance's approvals! Jules
For Info about Rhode Island Support Groups, please email me! [email protected]
I'm a Type II diabetic taking huge humoungous amounts of insulin - Lap-Band is the worst surgery for me!
I have my consult with Dr. Crookes on Monday and I will hopefully have him write the letter of medical necessity and get this BS out of the way.
THANKS so much for posting this. I've spent the last two hours on the phone with NAMMCAL (the medical managment company who denied my authorization) and Blue Cross, which by the way covers all 3 surgeries, but doesn't specify who gets what in their policy.