shbp HRA covering vertical sleeve now?

LaShelle2
on 2/15/10 11:05 pm - STOCKBRIDGE, GA

I have heard rumors shbp is covering the sleeve now. Has anyone confirmed whether this is true? Is Cigna and UHC covering the sleeve or just UHC?

               **** I AM AN OH SUPPORT GROUP LEADER ****
WHY I CHOSE DS: No dumping. Highest percentage of weight loss, Best long term results, Won't regain weight! Eat normal sized meals, 96% diabeties, 90% high blood pressure, 80% sleep apnea cured.                                    I  MY DS!
My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there were three other people.    ~Orson Wells

MzTiff
on 2/15/10 11:19 pm - Lithonia, GA

VSG on 08/20/10

I contacted Cigna three weeks ago was was told that they were NOT COVERING IT, but I too have heard that UHC HRA is covering it. I was initially told by the insurance coordinator for one of the barIatric surgeons, and I have also heard it from a couple of my UHC HRA OH members. If anyone has had it approved PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!

Oneal
on 2/17/10 9:20 am

I was approved for the gastric sleeve last week by UHC, HRA. I found out that it was approved in November. They kept it really quite and the doctor at Lexington Beriatrics Center told me two weeks after he got the word. I chose to have my surgery in S.C. because I met someone that lives in Augusta, that had their surgery there and loved it. Plus, S.C. is closer than Atlanta, and Savannah. I only have to drive 45 minutes to and hour.
Originally, I was going to have the lapband surgery but my doctor told me my BMI was more than he recommended and that I would not loose all of the weight that I needed to loose. I started this journey more that 9 years ago and I kept praying that someday the insurance companies would approved this surgery. Prayer works. My next goal is to get my health back and throw away my cane. I can't wait.

Stacey W.
on 2/17/10 9:39 pm

RNY on 12/17/09

My UHC coordinator told me (when I asked) in December when she called me about my approval that if I wanted I could get the sleeve- I would just have to get my doctor to change my paperwork over to the sleeve's CPT. After giving it some thoughts I decided to stick with the RNY because I was afraid I wouldn't be disciplined enough, the lack of long term data on the sleeve, and the fact that once 80% of your stomach is removed there no reversing the procedure if the future warrants it.

LaShelle2
on 2/17/10 10:52 pm - STOCKBRIDGE, GA

DS on 07/28/09

Stacey I had the same concerns about the sleeve and would have done the DS anyway.

Some things to consider is the sleeve is done by more surgeons. Right now there are no laproscopic DS surgeons in GA accepting shbp. Plus, vsg could be an alternate choice if your bmi is too low to qualify for the DS, but you don't want the dumping syndrome or blind stomach the rny offers. So eventhough vsg was not the wls for me, I can see the benefit others may receive from it.

Now I am curoius if Cigna shbp will cover vsg, since we ahve confirmed UHC does. There is a shbp member on here that has Cigna and she really wants the vsg. I am praying she can get her sleeve. I wish she knew during open enrollment, and she could have picked UHC, since they are definitely covering it.

               **** I AM AN OH SUPPORT GROUP LEADER ****
WHY I CHOSE DS: No dumping. Highest percentage of weight loss, Best long term results, Won't regain weight! Eat normal sized meals, 96% diabeties, 90% high blood pressure, 80% sleep apnea cured.                                    I  MY DS!
My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there were three other people.    ~Orson Wells

shbp HRA covering vertical sleeve now?

Our Mission

Follow us

Links

Select Photos

shbp HRA covering vertical sleeve now?