10 YEARS POST-OP-looking at plastic surgery PLEASE HELP!

Hi! My name is Aimee and I celebrated my 10 year RNY surgery anniversary on April 1st of this year. I am 5'3" with a small frame (little wrists and small fingers). My starting weight was 292 and I was 18 years old when I had the surgery. It was the end of my senior year in high school. I have given birth to 3 children (ALL GIRLS! :) )since my surgery. The oldest is 8 1/2  and entering 3rd grade, the middle will be 3 at the end of October and the youngest will be 2 at the beginning of December. (yes very close!)
Anyway, on to my question. I have maintained my weight for 10 years--always losing the baby weight. I stay around 149. I wanted to wait until we were done having kids before I decided to have any plastic surgery so I wouldn't undo everything :) I have skin hanging over my private area, skin hanging over my belly button (never have seen it when looking in the mirror).  I have arm skin obviously, as well as inner and outer thighs. I've noticved that my back always hurts- and could be due to how I sit because of how my excess skin is. If it weren't there- I could sit normally. My knees are bad too...and I'm only 28. I also have a lot problems sweating underneath the skin I want to find a way to have our insurance pay for at least some of it.
---> Does anyone else have any experience with this?? The surgeons that I want to use are in the network of my insurance. We have Emerald Health/Health Span Network- and fairly good insurance. Underwritiers is our 3rd party. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED! :) Thank you! :)

Here's what I have found in my research.
99.999% of the doctors even though they are in your network DO NOT ACCEPT INSURANCE for any reason. There are over 25 docs in my network between Cincinnati and Dayton and NONE of them would even talk to me if I wanted them to summitte for insurance. All were self pay or nothing.
NOW HOPEFULLY you will have a better out come. I would first start by calling your insurance and finding out what they require for getting plastic paied. Rashes, back pain, etc. Then start calling those docs in your network and see what they say.
Good Luck,
Robin

I just recently went through a panniculectomy, and unfortunately found that what Robin said is true.... the plastic surgeons all categorize a panniculectomy (one of the few things insurance MIGHT pay for) as cosmetic so that they can charge patients full fee for the procedure rather than accept whatever the insurance company will pay them for it.  It stinks!  I was very blessed... I just happened to be calling around at a time when a PS had just gone back into private practice (he had been overseeing a med school PS internship program for several years) and apparently needed patients enough that he was willing to take my insurance.  Within a matter of weeks, however, he changed his policy and now does the same as all the other Dayton area surgeons.

What's worse is that most of the Dayton area plastic surgeons that were on my insurance would not even help me submit the paperwork for insurance coverage (because that would be inconsistent with their claim that a panniculectomy is "cosmetic" and could get them into ho****er with the insurance company).

Dr Martin, in Cincinnati, does not accept any insurance at all but his office is reportedly very good at submitting the tons of paperwork to try to get you approved so you can get reimbursed for part of his surgical fee and the facility and anesthesia fees.  (Since he is not on any insurance panels, he can legally and ethically say that a procedure is medically necessary and try to help you get SOME reimbursement for it.)  He will be doing two procedures on me in September, and there is a BIG break on facility and anesthesia costs if you have multiple procedures at once.  Clearly there is a limit to how much you can (and should) do at one time, though.

I wish the news was better, but the way things are right now in this area, having insurance is pretty useless for PS after WLS.

Lora