bcbsil hmo or ppo

which one is easier to get approval for ds?

I don't have your insurance, I have BCBS of MN.  I have a PPO and find PPOs much more generous than HMOs.  I have had a PPO for 6 years now and I wouldn't want to go back to a HMO. 

There is an area on this site:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/list-insure rs.php?State=IL&alphaPos=B

where you can see what other's experiences have been with their insurance.  I have read that the HMO seems to be easier (no 6 month supervised diet) as long as all criteria are met.  It also depends on your individual policy. 

Good luck!

I have HMO and although I did not have DS, it was a breeze.  My PCP sent in the information for approval and I was approved for the surgery before I even saw the surgeon.  I only had to meet his criteria before I had the surgery.  You know psych eval, etc.  Less than 2 months and I had surgery.  HMO IL has been nothing but wonderful.

The DS? Neither one. They still hide behind the "experimental" label for the DS, which is not true. Even Medicare pays for the DS these days, so it is NOT new or experimental!

Send a PM to Diana Cox on the DS board and she can give you some inteliigence on someone she knows who got BCBS of IL to pay for their DS. You will need to have you ducks in a row to get those clever SOBs to open their purse strings. I originally had them and my hubby switched jobs to get my life-saving DS covered. But I would have fought them tooth and nail if I had to.

Nicolle