BCBS of Florida cover the LapBand?

Does anyone know? I tried to look it up on the Insurers section but really couldn't make much sense of it. I have called BCBS and gotten 3 different answers. So, has anyone had their surgery covered by BCBS of Florida? Mine would be considered medically necessary due to my co-morbidities, I have PPO, Network Blue. Any help would sure be appreciated!

I am currently working on getting my approval through BC/BS FL PPO Blue Choice. My understanding is that I depends on whether your work has the "inclusion" of WLS add to their specific insurance plan. I have found out mine does - of course there is a ton of paperwork that has to be included to show medical necessity but the WL Center I am working with says they have received 4-5 approvals from my specific work insurance. I have been told that it is not uncommon to get different answers when you call, sometimes they don't know the number to look for or even what we are asking them for- not everyone knows what a Lap-Band is I would think if you got 1 yes that person knew what to look for and I would go with it or you will worry yourself sick about it. This isn't this best answer but I hope it helps alittle

That is what I found out too. My policy does have the exclusion of anything to do with weight loss or bariatrics. I have a date of Nov 14th so I am just going to go ahead with self pay. Thanks for your help and best of luck!!

Is it a government or self-insured plan? Kristen

Its not government, its just a small group policy. I wi**** were a better policy!

I went to a Lap Band Seminar today. The doctor made a point of saying that bc/bs of florida does not cover Lap Band. He said that they see it as experimental for some reason. He seemed really mad about it said that they had several people call the insurance and was told that it was covered but when they go for approval they are told no there is no coverage for experimental procedures. So I am not really sure. I have bc/bs-il so i was worried but then he said just bc/bs-fl. He said that bc/bs-fl federal was going to start in 01/2007 he said a few others may cover in 01/07 also. Hopefully yours is one of them.

My nurse said the same thing to me, she told me to check with my bcbs that they had began to cover the procedure. Then the next time I talked to her she said they hadn't gotten paid a dime from bcbs and that she didn't think they were covering it. I have been told so many different things, its nuts! Unfortunately though my policy is through my husband's job which is a small company and they did not bother to negotiate the wls part into the coverage. I don't want to wait until next year and see if they will do it, I know if it costs one cent extra they would not do it anyway. It isn't federal, wi**** was. I am going to have my surgery on Nov 14, if all goes as planned and it will be self pay. I just wished I lived in another state where the state regulates the coverage of bariatric surgery, like a friend of mine, she and her husband had it done free of charge, in Maine I think. (He is in the service and they move from place to place) But thanks a million for your post!