Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

I need help, I am interested in having the Lap-band WLS, but my insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama) does not cover it, citing that it is investigational. Before I can proceed with appealing the insurance (because I don't have an official appeal letter I was denied at the precert stage) I need to find out if ANYONE has BCBS of Alabama and has undergone the lap-band. So if someone out there has please let me know!! I anyone needs more information on my situation, please feel free to email me or post. Thank you in advance for looking and helping. Chastity

Hi Chastity! Have you posted this on the Lap-Band forum? There are lots of folks over there who have gotten insurance approval and maybe the can offer some suggestions, the URL to that community is http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/surgtype-forums/LapBand/posts.html I had read that the band manufacturer (I believe it's Inamed or something like that) will assist patients with information that the Lap-Band is not investigational that you can send to the insurance company. The Lap-Band was approved by the FDA in the past couple of years. I think you can go read more about what the manufacturer can or will do to assist you by going to their web site which is inamed.com Good luck! I think once a patient and his/her doctor has agreed upon WLS, the patient and doctor should be able to chose which surgery to have. I don't believe that's the insurance companies decision. I wish you much luck in you journey with BC/BS-Alabama. Please keep us posted.

Thank you so much. I have posted on the Lap-band page. I thought I would see if the people in the states could help! I will keep working on it.