you are NOT going to believe this!!!!!

ok this shocked the heck out of me....today i talked to a couple insurance companies about getting health insurance for me....Guess what I was DENIED!!!!! Yes denied and guess why????? Cuz i had this surgery. i was like well you wouldnt cover me cuz i was overweight and you didnt feel i was in the best health. so now that i am healthy and doing great and not over weight you are saying i cant get covered cuz of this surgery. I wasnt very nice to the people on the phone and i told them what i thought of them and the companies they work for....sorry i had to vent on this......then they informed me that no insurance company will cover me due to this surgery......Lynda

That is partially true...insurance companies will refuse to cover you for a specified period of time...like I think most are 2-3 years following the surgery. After that most of the risks are reduced, and they will cover you. the other thing you can do is get a job that offers group coverage, then you can enroll during open enrollment, thing is they can still exclude anything related to your surgery for up to 18 months. It is hard, and I hope you find health coverage of some kind. and btw, let me know when the best time to contact you is about getting the support groups going...ok? Tracie

Morning Lynda, Hmmmm is this some form of discrimination? Be worth checking out. I would think if co-morbids weren't an issue anymore then they are looking for excuses. Check with some other insurance companies as well. Was this a question they asked or did you volunteer the info? I wouldn't have been very nice either, believe me!!!! Keep us posted. Carolyn

I actually have heard about this happening!!! Your best bet would to be getting a job that offers health insurance, that way you don't have the questionaires and pre-qualifying stuff!!! We know we are in better health than ever, but they still tend (the insurance company) think we are way to risky!!! Wishing you luck!!! Take Care Jesi

This actually doesn't surprise me in the least. However, I bet if you had tried to get insurance before the surgery you would have heard the same story. Morbid Obesity is expensive for the insurance companies and they will deny you or put a rider on your policy. And as far as now, well, the obesity may be going away but we have more health problems, more likely than the average person to end up in the hospital, need more tests, etc. Even routine workups are expensive. Have you seen how much our blood tests cost? Yipes! My very healthy younger brother probably couldn't get insurance on his own anymore. Why? He had to have stents put in his heart as he was about to have a heart attck a few years ago. Now he is super healthy, no longer smokes, & exercises all the time but he better not lose his present job as he will be without his insurance until he gets another job with benefits. Fortunately, he is very good at what he does. I guess I would agree with everyone eles. Try to find a job that offers benefits. They have to take you. Dixie

Lynda, So sorry that you have to deal with this. If the insurance companies think they may lose money, they won't carry you - even with how healthy you are now. It's ironic. Hopefully, you could get a job that has some insurance benefits. Good luck and God bless, Andrea