Insurance

Hello :) I just went for my first vist to the Barix Clinic in Michigan to see about the LAP-Band. I am really excited about the surgery and I am now playing the hurry up and wait game with the insurance company. My insurance company does cover the surgery but only with a medical reason and at least 3 to 5 years of being over weight. So I was wondering since this is an Ohio message board if anyone else has had success with Medical Mutual of Ohio approving LAP-Band surgery and how long it took to get an approval letter. I'm new to this whole thing and am hoping with everything in me that I to will be losing weight soon. Please let me know if anyone has any info. Thanks so much :)

Hello, Im not on Mutual of Ohio but i do know that with my insurance i had to have 6 months diet and excersize (sp?) but because of my physical problems they did a thing where the excersize was "waived" and i was approved within one week... I also had 4 other doctors that wrote a letter of recomendation for me to have the surgery, if you could have more than your family doctor and your wls doctor "recomend" the surgery because of medical reasons then i wouldn't think you would have to worry about anything...  My physical therapist was even going to write a letter if need be, there are a lot of doctors who want to see all people healthier and any way they can help they will. I also have lost 39 lbs in the past 7 months by trying to follow the wls diet yes there are days where i have grabbed that candy bar and i pay for it emotionally i can not wait to get my tool.... just to help in the retraining of my mind.. :) I have been scheduled for August 13th for my RNY i can not wait.. I hope all the best for you. God bless you Paula

Every MMO is different and some now have a $10,000 cap on WLS.  You can read my story with MMO and it went VERY well. Good LUCK,  Robin

I have Medical Mutual of Ohio also, however, I had Lap RNY.  I would think that they would still require the same things.  I had to show a history of five years of documented weights from doctors' notes (with them all being overweight); a psych evaluation; a nutritional statement from a dietician; and a six month doctor supervised diet within the last year. I was wondering -- seeing you are from Mansfield -- why you are going to Michigan?  I would think that St. Vincent's in Cleveland would be much easier to get to for follow up fills.  They are also a preferred provider with MMO and they also do all of your paperwork.  Dr. BenMeir does the lapbands there and is wonderful.  Just curious. Good luck.

Hi, Check out FreshStart Bariatrics. They have a two location practice in Mansfield and Columbus. Here is a link to their website. Good Luck. http://www.ohiohealth.com/landingbariatrics.cfm?id=2675