help!!!!

Hello, i am a 23 year old female at 260 pounds. I have been wanting to get the bariatric surgery for two years, I have hap insurance unforunately i was denied after the first appeal letter. I felt i would finally have hope again by getting this surgery. but when i got turned down i got reallly depressed. I thought about selfpay. but i only make 6.15 an hour so i cannot afford the 30,000 dollars for surgery. I am so depressed I am 23 years old, and I basically get thru the day by sleeping. I am just so embarassed to walk out the front door. Please any suggestions to get the surgery would be greatly appreciated. God bless you all. stephanie

DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!!! Fight them to the end.....YOU deserve this... Hugs Linda

Steph, Don't give up! Keep trying, trying and trying! hap is not the only insurance. Have you considered purchasing from a different carrier? A friend of mine did that and now she is able to have the surgery. Keep us posted. Hugs, Normie

I wish I knew how to help you with HAP. There are others on here that I bet can help you. Maybe Erin? She fought Aetna like a trooper!!! There are sample letters to be had, etc. There must be a way, but I know when you are depressed, it's hard to pick yourself up and get motivated about anything...I've been there myself....but you HAVE to. This is your life you are fighting for...your happiness and health. Focus on getting every scrap of weight loss attempts together, dr. records, and there are sample appeal letters on here too, I believe. Maybe an in-person appeal would do the trick. Hopefully you will get other info from members on here that have fought them. Best of luck to you...don't give up!!!! Theresa

Hi Stephanie... Let's see where to begin. Im no expert on HAP, but Im more tehn willign to try and help you out. Let me start by saying a few things.... 1. DO NOT STOP FIGHTING! You are fighting for your life, and you are worth fighting for. I don't care what HAP or anyone esle says YOU are worth it. 2. Just because you got one denail letter does NOT mean the fight is over, in fact it just means the fight is JUST starting. I won't lie you are going to have to dig DEEP DOWN and find the energey and abilty to do this. 3. Im worried about your depression. Please consider seeing someone about it. Most everyone in here is or has been through bouts of depression.. they have so many options to help people now.. you do not have to live with this depression. 4. GET OUTSIDE. Don't be embarassed... If peopel have a problem IGNORE THEM (easier said tehn done I know) it is THEIR issue not yours. THey are not in your shoes, nor will they ever be. They have NO RIGHT to judge you. Ok off the "soapbox" Tell me why HAP denied you... maybe I can help you write a new appeal, or if need be we can talk about external appeals to the State of Michigan Insurance Board if need be. I don't think it will go that far but let us see waht we can do... Best Wishes... Erin ~ Always an INSURANCE WARRIOR!~

Hey hon I know exactly what you are going through. I have bcn and they denied me a year ago. Due to lack of diet history. My last pcp did not document enough. Since then I have done everything I am suppose to do for a year straight. Its time for me to submit again and if they say not this time I will fight until the end. I have had a year to think about is this the right thing for me. A few times I thought maybe I could loose the weight on my own. I did drop a few pounds but by the end of the year I had put it all back on. I know it can get hard but you have to keep up the fight.

Do not give up on your fight. Go through the appeal process with hap and if they still deny you the surgery go to the state insurance board for approval because they will over ride Hap decision. If people keep complaining about Hap to the state they will step in and make them change there requirements for WLS. You deserve to be happy and healthly and have a better life. Keep your head up and you will be a winner at the end. Tricia

are you eligable for medicaid? I know that medicaid covers the lap band... at 23 maybe you would consider a different form of surgery? I had the lap band done and it is alot less expensive than the RYN it is 15,000 for selfpay ... i have BC/BS so it covered all but about $1000.00 i have lost about 95 lbs and i was in your same situation 5'6" and 273 lbs i hated leaving the house and now i feel alot better about myself i am now about 180 lbs and still not what i want to be but feel alot better about myself... plus you are young the band is completly reversiable and you can tighten and loosen it to accomidate your needs... feel free to email me when ever you want to [email protected] Kari Pearcy chesterfield, MI