NYS Employees Empire Plan? ....

Has anyone had this insurance and tried/had for the DS? Just wondering about your experiences!

i have this same insurance and am curious to see how people answer. good luck with your decision to have wsl.

I had not one lickof trouble getting approved for RNY... What's DS?

HELLO STEPHANIE, I ALSO HAVE EMPIRE, AND ALSO GOING TO HAVE MY SURGERY DONE BY DR. HILL AT ADIRONDACK. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY EVEN DID THE DUODENAL SWITCH.....DO THEY? I KNOW IF YOUR HEALTH CALLS FOR IT, THEY WILL COVER THE SURGERY WITH NO PROBLEMS. GOD BLESS YOU WITH EVERYTHING...PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THEY PERFORM THE DS. AND IS YOUR SURGERY DATE ANYWHERE IN SIGHT? U CAN E-MAIL ME IF YOU WANT. EBONY

Stephanie: First I think you will have to go to NY city to find a surgeon who performs the BPD/DS....IF your insurance will pay is only a question THEY will/can answer. I'd call Customer service and aks, what their policy on WLS is, and ask for a copy of that! Specifically if they approve: Lap band, RNY or BPD/DS. Now 2nd thing I can not say for sure BUT I do not beleive Dr Hill in Saranac Does the BPD/DS I coud be wrong but call the office to check! I think first IF I wanted BPD/DS I'd find out the most exp surgeon locally and go there! IT is a more difficult procedure, better in many ways, riskeier in others. One NYC surgeon will do it in 2 steps also! Cornell I believe Michel Gagner, MD, FACS, FRCSC Chief, Division of Bariatric Surgery DOES IT LAP!!! http://wo-pub2.med.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/PublicA.woa/6/wa/viewService?servicesID=635&website=wmc+weightloss&wosid=nF2NVDBh3tpHnSp2SzHvTg try these links for info/surgeons ok! http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/duodenalswitch/ http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/ http://www.duodenalswitch.com/ HUGS! Take Care, Jamie Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh 320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery) Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King "Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"

I have it, but for the lap band...got approved right away!

Thank you all so much for your replies! Yes Dr. Hill does do the DS. He has not done as many as he has RNY but enough that I am comfortable with him doing it. I am just a little worried about the insurance compnay not covering the DS. That is what I really want. Again thanks so much to all of you for your replies!

I called Empire before beginning my WLS journey and they told me that their policy was to cover it if it was medically necessary. At the time I called I did not specify if it was lap band, RNY or DS. I was approved within three weeks of the information being submitted. I called about that as well and was informed that there is a panel that meets once a week to discuss the cases pending. They may not go through all the cases each week but will not let a whole month go by without reviewing a case. Good luck! Claire

I am covered by the same insurance and my husband and I were both approved within days of the information being submitted. We both had shown that it was medically necessary. I think my husband more than me. I didn't have any medical problems. I was just fat. My medical letter stated that i might have medical problems in the future if i didn't have the surgery. Gosh, you know now that I think about it I write a really good letter (he he he).