Medicare's WLS Exclusion Proposal; Comments Needed

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDS 12/23/05: Your Opinion Counts Medicare wants to exclude the Duodenal Switch and other Weight Loss Surgery Procedures (shown below) from Coverage for all Medicare patients. They also want to restrict surgery to those under 65 years old. If Medicare excludes this surgery- private insurance companies will follow their lead and very few people will be afforded this life changing surgery. The comment period ends next week. If you have not done so already, please leave a comment with Medicare. Please let Medicare know your opposition to these changes. Please check this: Medicare's Slippery Slope: http://www.medicareforus.org/ Please send Comments to: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/public_comment.asp?nca_id=160&basketitem= If you are so inclined; drop a note to your Senator, Representative or President asking them to change Medicare`s proposed decision, here is a easy link to them: http://mygov.governmentguide.com/mygov/home/ Proposed Decision Memo for Bariatric Surgery for the Treatment of Morbid Obesity (CAG-00250R) "The evidence is not adequate to conclude that the following bariatric surgery procedures are reasonable and necessary and they are therefore non-covered for all Medicare beneficiaries: open vertical banded gastroplasty, laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty, open sleeve gastrectomy, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, open adjustable gastric banding, open biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch, and laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch. The two non-coverage determinations in the National Coverage Determination Manual (NCDM) remain unchanged: Gastric Balloon (NCDM Section 100.11) and Intestinal Bypass (NCDM Section 100.8). . " http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/viewdraftdecisionmemo.asp?id=160