Great news for Kroger employees!

I am so freakin' excited! I just found out that Kroger is expanding their coverage to include surgery for severe obesity!!! I have Anthem BCBS and until 1/1/07 it is specifically excluded. I am going to my PCP to document all of my weight loss efforts so that when the information is requested it will already be in his file. My husband doesn't work at a Kroger store, but he works for a subsidiary and we have Kroger insurance. So after 2 years of trying to figure out how to pay for the lapband surgery I will try no more. Does anyone have Anthem BCBS and want to give me any tips on making the approval process even sweeter? Also, I am wondering about the surgery centers such as MTMC or Southern Bariatrics. Any other suggestions? Thanks everyone and I look forward to hearing from you!

That is great news! I don't know anything about Anthem BCBS but will be praying for a smooth approval process. I've never heard of Southern Bariatrics - where are they located? What I've heard about the doctors at MTMC is that they don't have much experience (about 6 months or so) in bariatrics. Since follow up and after care is so important, you want to choose a Center of Excellence. Baptist, Centennial and Vanderbilt all have the Center of Excellence rating. This means the surgeon(s), clinic staff, surgery team, and the nurses who will provide post-op care have all been specially trained in the treatment of bariatric patients. It also means that the clinic and hospital have the equipment required to care for the morbidly obese patient and that the clinic has a good aftercare program. Good luck on your journey. Susan

Thanks Susan! Southern Bariatrics is at Southern Hills Hospital. Now that you mention it, it seems that a requirement is that you have to use a Center of Excellience. I thought that just meant somewhere that takes Anthem. I have heard alot about Centennial. I will check it out! Keeping Fingers Crossed, Dayna

I can also highly recommend Dr. Spaw at Baptist! The entire team at the Metabolic Surgery Center is great! Susan

Congratulations I had lap- band surgery with Dr david Dyer at Centennial and had excelllent care . I had no pain no gas no sickness of any kind came home the very next day .. just pretty tired ... He is on the board of ASBS and Centennial is on board of excellence Well experienced surgeon and great hospital ... one week post op have lost 11 pounds but was told to expect slower loss with lap band but so far so good ..... Be sure you go to the forums and check out the lap -band forum while many of us are from Tennessee and we are from all over the USA! (England too) You wil just love this forum We are very supportative and helpful good luck... it is a life changing experience! Arianna

Dayna That is great news about Kroger insurance. I know you are very excited. I will be honest in saying not sure about MTMC. I didn't know they were performing any procedures there yet, but you might want to stay with Baptist, Centennial or Vanderbilt like someone else has suggested. They have more experience and you definitely want that! My BCBS policy stated that my primary care had to show proof in my records that I had attempted some kind of weight loss within the past two years, a bmi of 40 or 100 pounds overweight or a bmi of 35 with 3 comorbidities, and also show proof that I had lost 10% of my overall body weight. I hated that last requirement. Go figure. Losing 10% of body weight to get a weight loss surgery. It was hard but I finally did it. Good luck.