please help

hello iam trying to begin this process. i have no insurance .can someone please tell me if i can get which insurane and a really good surgeon around my area miami.please helpme

im not sure about the insurance.... i had dr rosenthal do mine at clevland clinic... he was great!

thnx for ur reply . yes i have heard of this doc . but when i search the net there always saying make sure you look at there history. can u please tell me what insurance u had . and hou much weight u lost. thanx again

Aetna PPO is one of the more liberal insurance providers in Florida. They require a lot of documentation but they still cover the surgery. Companies like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida wrote specific exclusions effective January 2005 so definitely avoid them if you need the insurance to help with payment. Aetna requires the following: - The last 5 years of documented morbid obesity (this can be just copies of office notes from your annual visits or if you were there with a cold, they don't have to be weight related) - Then they want 6 months of medically supervised weightloss. I know that sounds like a lot but most people have to jump through this hoop. If you don't have this then you can start now. Participating bariatric surgeons may even be able to put you on a supervised diet and get you approved in 3 months. The 3 month exception is only for bariatric surgeons (and not all of them). I know that Dr. Yasrebi in Jacksonville has this agreement with Aetna. - Psychiatric Evaluation (this is a normal) - Consultation with nutritionist (this is usually handled within the surgeons office) After you've gotten all of that information together Aetna will use your BMI and other health conditions to see if you qualify. If your BMI is over 40 and has been for 5 years then you don't have to have any other problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure. BMI's between 35-39 require other medical problems like the ones I just mentioned. I'm currently going through the 3 month diet plan with Dr. Yasrebi. The good news is that he would have made me do this anyway since he requires that you lose 10% of your body weight before he'll agree to surgery. My BMI is 43 and in the last 5 years I've lost a lot of weight. At one point I got down to 210 but the insurance just needs to see one office note from that year showing me at a weight where my BMI was 40 or higher. The surgeons office won't send them the lower weights I've reached in the last five years. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Alison First of all thank you so much for ur reply.I live in miami so jacksonville is too far from me.Iam searching a doctor close to where i live.I have 2 kids go to school and stuff.about the insurance,do u think i should get my insurance first.(i wounder how much i have to pay them monthly) because i dont have any kind of insurance.i do have medicaid but thats share in cost.i dont think theyll cover this surgery.i think i should get my insurance first and then go see a good doctor around my area.Iam sorry iam asking so many questions iam totally new at this and very nervous.thanx again kiran.......... any sugesstions welcome

If you just go out and try to buy a policy your obesity may be viewed as a pre-existing condition and therefore would not be covered for a specific period of time. Also to buy an individual policy that would cover surgery may cost big bucks. If you have medicaid that is your best bet for coverage. I understand there are a few doctors around the state that accept medicaid. However, you might have to travel to where they are. Many people travel to have surgery, it is manageable. Good luck- Red