BCBS FED 2007

Help!! has anyone used BCBS FED of Oklahoma? Do they pay? All I can get from them is have the surgery and then we will see if we will pay for the surgery. Thanks Karen in Oklahoma

I don't have BCBS Fed, but I do have 2 suggestions: 1. Ask the surgeon's office if they pay... 2. Look here http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgery+insurers+in+oklahoma.html Some of the information on the website is a little outdated, but it is a good start!!http://images.obesityhelp.com/mbgraphics/emoticons/fairy.gif

It's covered. Look at page 48 (might be page 50) at the bottom http://www.fepblue.org/pdf/sbp2007.pdf. In 2007 they started covering lapbands. I also looked at your doctor, he's on BCBS Fed also. Do you have standard or basic? We have standard. My surgery is Thursday, Jan 11. The doctor will probably get your benifits approved before meeting with them. My doctor will not do surgery without an assistant, which BCBS Fed does not cover. My doctor is Dr. Keith in Norman if that helps any. Approval was very easy, it was done over the phone. My doctor's office has said BCBS Fed is one of the easiest to deal with. They also cover any testing you might need prior to surgery. HTH!!! Good luck!! Melissa

Melissa, First I want to send you some lucky charms for Thursday, and let you know that I will be sending healing thoughts and prayers your way. Thanks so much for the info. on the testing being covered, I was wondering about that. I'm not to the point that I have selected which surgery I want, let-alone which surgeon I want to use. I live in SW/Oklahoma, but am willing to drive to Oklahoma as Wichita Falls, TX is the closest to me and the surgeon there only does Open RNY. I am seeking information on Lap RNY and would love to find stats comparing the two. I have found stats for Lap-Band vs. RNY but not Lap RNY vs. Open RNY I would like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind. If you don't answer them I understand. This is a very personal journey. Which surgery are you going to have? How many surgeons did you see before selecting Dr. Keith? What was the main reason you selected Dr. Keith? Have you had previous abdominal surgeries? I appreciate any help you can give me. Lady

I chose my Dr. Nelson (Dr. Keith's Partner) because she had already done several of my friends lap RNY and they had NO PROBLEMS. She is really nice with a good bedside manner. I also chose Norman Regional because me friends (6 in all) had good experiences there. I am 4 weeks out and feel great. I have had 2 c-sections and that was terrible, I didn't want that big incision again. I was back to work with lap RNY the next week for half days. I also have two small children and didn't want to use up all my time off. Everyone is different by in my opinion lap is the only way to go, and you don't have as many potential complications because you are up and moving more like normal and less likely to get a hernia.

I went to weight wise in Edmond they said that bcbs fed. was easy to get approval but, they were out of network. That I would have to pay 3,000 or more up front. Does that sound right to every one that has used bcbs fed? Help ronda

Dr. Keith in Norman is in network. I'm not sure what my out of pocket will be yet. I can tell you what I've paid so far. Hospital 100.00 per admittion. 15.00 co pay for the doctor's office visits. 15.00 for the phsycologist (sp?) appointment, 15.00 for the physical therapist. I also had to pay 200 for the dietitan, but we are trying to get bcbs to cover it since I've had the surgery now, that will be out of network though. Since it's a new year we will have to pay the deductable, not sure if that will be toward all the pretesting lab work or the doctor. BCBS Fed does not pay for an assistant, and Dr. Keith will not do the surgery without one. That will be another 500.00. I don't know what his total with be but we will pay 10%. I've heard est cost of the surgery all together will be around 15,000 without ins. I'm not sure if that's true or not, I have not been told that from Dr. Keith. He's a good doctor so far. LOL It's hard for me to say since I just had surgery on the 11th. You do have tons of lab work done, and have to follow a special diet before and after surgery. You can go to doctor Keith's website, it's OWLO.com Good luck and let me know if there is anything else I can help with. Melissa

I have BCBS FEP Standard Option and it is covered (if medically necessary). What that means is any one's guess. I have several weight related health issues, that I currently take medication for (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, GERD, edema in the feet and ankles, osteoarthritis, and depression). I went for a consultation with a surgeon in WF, TX and was told that if I used that surgeon it may be denied the first go around but not to worry about it....they would take care of it and that it is almost always approved the second time around. That's a bit scary.... I have an appointment to attend a Seminar in Edmond Thursday (http://www.weightwise.org/surgeons.asp) . I plant to see at least three if not more surgeons before I decide on one. The surgeon in TX's only does Open RNY and I am wanting to learn more about Lap RNY. Good Luck Lady

To quilify for BCBS Fed you have to have a bmi of 40 or more with no comorbidities or you can have comorbidities with a bmi of 35. You have to be 18 yrs old also. From the first meeting with the doctor to surgery for me was a little less than a month. HTH.

I had surgery last year and BCBS Fed paid most of my bills. It took them a year to pay the doctors bill....but they paid all of the hospital and other bills (except for my 10% or however much it was and my deductible). The way that I read this years booklet, I thought that in 2007 it was an approved surgery. They will screw you if you give them the chance though...that is for sure.