insurance coverage

Ok, folks please tell me if I am off my rocker, but I was reading a profile the other day and saw where she had testified on behalf of Missouri senete bill 97 which would require insurance companies to cover WLS for people meeting the guidelines....I was so inspired I have shot off SEVERAL emails and letters to my local senetor and rep, and am expanding it out to every senetor and rep in Missouri. I feel like this is an angle in the fight with my insurance company that I had never thought of before. If you have time take a look at: http://www.senate.mo.gov/07info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=91http:// And www.senate.mo.gov/ Wouldn't it be amazing to see this accomplished? It is still mind boggling that my insurance will pay for my cardiac bypass/heart attacks, diabeties, high blood pressure, depression, joint replacements, cancers, GERD, and all the other obesity realted issues I might have but won't help cover the root problem! A $25,000 surgery will save the insurance several time that over the course of my lifetime. I think insurance companies hope we would kick the bucket before we develop anything that costs them. I guess since I am sitting around feeling helpless right now while my insurance company drags its' feet, sounding off about the issue to my elected officals is good therepy! I also am meeting with the plan administrator for my insurance and the county/city officials who my husband works for about the importance of WLS as a tool! I am a public health RN and obesity is something we are always focusing on with education and other programs that cost many dollars, but what good is all of that when one of the major tools to combat obesity isn't avaible to many of the people *****ally need it! I guess I am venting, but it felt good 8-l. I hope you are all having a wonderful, thanks for reading my ranting! Amy

GO AMY.....YES IT IS A NEED THAT SHOULD BE MET and with the new medicines and all people are living longer with the problems associated with obesity. If they would use their heads they would see that with the coverage of wls they would save themselves many many dollars. Jan

How about also pointing out that once we have WLS we are SOOOO much healthier and many of us lose ALL of our co-morbidities. SOOOOO, why is it that unless we are covered under GROUP insurance post-op, we are considered uninsurable under an individual plan?? THAT was my reality at 4 months post-op when I moved cross-country and was unemployed briefly. I ended up having to continue my old group INS. COBRA in order to have ins. on myself. Then I HAD to find a job with group ins available to me or I'd have had NONE after my COBRA ran out. BCMO would NOT insure me! I argued that I had NO co-morbidities. That WLS had saved my life and I was far less risk now than prior to the surgery and it was BCBS-CA who pd for my gastric-bypass. This policy is INSANE to me. I do NOT understand it. Tami

Consider that issue added to my letters....how horrible it must feel to find out your are uninsurable because you are now a happier, healthier member of society. Have you thought about contacting your elected officals? Maybe if enough of us voice our opinions again and again they will start to notice. SB 97 is in committee right now. Here is a list of those committee members:  John Loudon, 7th, Chair  Luann Ridgeway, 17th, Vice-Chair  Dan Clemens, 20th  Scott Rupp, 2nd  Delbert Scott, 28th  Carl Vogel, 6th  Victor Callahan, 11th  Rita Days, 14th  Tim Green, 13th There are address and phone #'s for all of them listed on the mo senete website! Rita Days is the bill sponser! It is sad to be one of the last legally discriminated parts of our society!

Hi Amy, I actually went to the Senate hearing last year on March 15 2006. Unfortunately,the hearing was filled with insurance companies opposing the bill while there were only 3 of us in support to tell our stories.I spoke to the Senators and told them of my battle and exclusion despite my heart condition and my cardiologists strong recommendation to have this surgery. I also told them about my plan covering anorexia,bulimia,drug and alcoholism treatment. We are the last group that it is ok to discriminate against. Senator Days is a wonderful woman who says she will continue to fight for us.Some states have already passed bills such as this.It all comes down to money,not lives.I was told that it takes an insurance company 3 & 1/2 yrs. to recoup the cost of the surgery and the average person stays on their job only 3 years.They lose money. We must stand up and be heard. Thanks for bringing this bill inot the light once again. You can check on any action for the bill to see when the hearing is scheduled. Last year we had one days noitice. Keep figthing. Dannielle

Hi Amy, Thanks so much for this information. I had printed the letters out this past weekend to mail to everyone, but I did not know this was already being discussed in MO. I will be happy to mail these letters in ASAP and pass the word on. My insurance coverage from my employer excludes ANYTHING for weightloss. But yet they keep preaching to us to lose weight, eat healthy, excersise, etc. They say the reason our insurance rates keep going up is because of our claims. Seems to me if I could have this surgery, I know it would save them a lot just in not having to pay meds for my comorbisity problems. Do you know if there is a house bill that coincides with the senate bill? Thanks again. Casey

Casey, I have not been able to locate a house bill, but I do have a call in to my local rep to discuss it with him..maybe even in person if I can get that done. I will encourage him to support one if it is on the works, and maybe even sponser one. There are sooo many positives to covering WLS, I hope it will not fall on deaf/normal BMI ears.! Amy