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All insurance COMPANIES cover weight loss surgery. But most insurance PLANS do not.
It's like car insurance. You can buy an inexpensive policy that covers the fewest things, with the lowest limits. If you want to spend more, you can buy extras, like collision, glass replacement, towing, rental car, etc. So you can get lower coverage for lower money, or more money for more coverage.
Health insurance is pretty much the same. Employers want to save money, so they don't choose to buy the "extras," such as weight loss surgery. It's an expensive add on.
I'm sorry, but your question is impossible for us to answer. Someone can say "I have Blue Cross, and it was covered." But the Blue Cross plan you end up with could exclude WLS.
You could shop for a plan and buy it yourself that you know covers it. But not many of us could afford that. Frankly, for what six months of insurance would cost, you could go to Mexico and pay for the whole surgery out of pocket.
I wish I could be more helpful. Good luck.
6'3" tall, male.
Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.
M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.
Yep. Didn't know they now do them with zero exterior incisions, very cool. Mine was laproscopic, three eraser sized incisions. Sorry for the incorrect reply.
You had an endoscopic sleeve? So you didn't have any kind of incisions to your abdomen?
I've honestly never heard of that and I can't imagine how it would be done. But I'm also not a surgeon so there is that.
Could it be possible that you're referring to a laparoscopic sleeve and not an endoscopic one?
I thought pretty much all insurance covered if you had the comorbidity and a BMI of 35+. Aetna, Blue cross blue shield, and humana to name a few.
The sleeve is quick money maker for surgeons. Then they make double fees from you when they revise to RNY. It is a lot of misery to put yourself through. Get RNY and skip VSG.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
No surgeon worth his salt should be giving you a VSG. If you already have GERD, you need an RNY.
If your surgeon doesn't tell you this, you need to RUN to another because you are destined for a revision, which insurance may not pay for, after a horrible year or two.
Proud Feminist, Atheist, LGBT friend, and Democratic Socialist
If I had acid issues before surgery, I would never have considered VSG. A great many people who hever had reflux a day in their lives came down with debilitating gerd after the sleeve. Many end up needing to revise to RNY.
Do a search and you will turn up a lot of instances of acid after VSG.
6'3" tall, male.
Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.
M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.
You should search as there are many threads that discuss having to get RnY after VSG due to worsening acid problems. Did you tell the doctor you had this issue as he evaluated you? Most won't do VSG on patients with acid problems pre-surgery? Mine gave me the option, but really warned me against. I had the option to switch right up to an hour before surgery and ultimately went with RnY because of his concerns. From what I've seen, it can get seriously bad afterwards. Please do a google search on this topic with Obesity Help in the search bar as well. Your eyes will be opened. Good luck.
HW 510 / SW 424/ GW 175 (stretch goal to get 10 under) / CW 160 (I'm near the charts ideal weight - wonder if I can stay here)
RNY November 2016
PS: L/R arm skin removal; belt panniculectomy - April, 2019
I had heartburn before surgery and immediately after surgery I got Gerd. It is controlled by meds now and is much better then it was 2 years ago. I have heard it gets better with weight loss but most Drs. don't perform this surgery if you already have stomach acid and are on meds for it .
