DoesWI Badgercare Cover

bariatric surgeries? Does anyone in Wisconsin know?

Both me and my now ex-wife were approved by Badger Care for RNY. Just had to do a six month program with a Nut. which they also covered.

I can live with that. Already did it once on my own. She said she thought I wasn't getting enough calories. I told her that there was no way i could eat anymore in a day than I already do lol. She suggested I eat breakfast... which then puts me in the mood for a nap, no matter what i eat for breakfast. Point is though that I can do the Nut thing :)

Badgercare does cover WLS. Not only the Lap Band and RNY but it also covers the DS.

You will have to go through a six months supervised diet with your surgeon/nutritionist though before they will approve you. But those visits are also covered by Badgercare. You will more then likely have to have a psych evaluation done as well but that too will be covered by Badgercare.

This is true of Badgercare Standard plan. I am not sure how everything would/wouldn't be covered with the Badgercare Benchmark plan or the Badgercare Core plan.

Oh thanks Helen that is great to know! I was seriously looking at the DS as opposed to the lap-band because it seems less "high maintenance" than the Lap Band. I don't have or want to make time to be running back and forth to the doctor everytime i turn around. The psych eval also not a problem :) I am also a spiritual counselor so i am pretty sure i have most of my issues sorted out lol. Please notice I did not say all of my issues are sorted out but 95% of the time i have my head on straight.

Ummm I think you have it backwards.  The DS is MUCH MUCH more high maintenance than the Lap Band.  If you get the DS be prepared for NECESSARY follow up care and routine lab work.  If you don't - the DS will kill you.

Have you looked into having the sleeve done?  That would be my recommendation if you are looking for results + "less" maintenance (comparatively to RNY or DS).

I wouldn't wish a Lap Band on my worst enemy to be honest.  The failure/complication rate is scary.

Doggz... I did go to the DS website and am still  reading everything. I understand I would have to be on vitamins and have regular checkups with it. I understand about the routine bloodwork. I already have to have routine stuff like this done anyway since I have other medical issues that require monitoring at least on a yearly basis if not 2 or 3 times a year depending. The thing I was looking at with the Lap Bad as opposed to the DS was running back and forth to the doctor for fills or drains all the time until we find the right size. I may live across the street from the hospital but I don't particularly want to hang out there lol. And i am definitely finding the Lap Band something I really dont want to consider. But will discuss it with my doctor more at the end of the month.

"The DS is MUCH MUCH more high maintenance than the Lap Band."

I have had BOTH the DS and the LapBand and I disagree with this statement.   The band required FAR MORE office visits and exposure to radiation and barfing and bad labs (because I couldn't eat decent food) and frustration and, not incidentally, weight regain and esophageal damage.  The DS requires that I get my labs done twice a years and take some supplements. 

On what are you basing your claim that "The DS is MUCH MUCH more high maintenance than the Lap Band?"  Your statement doesn't match with what I--or many other band-to-DS revision people--have lived through. 

I agree I had the Band then switched to DS and the maintenance is by far less.  I'm much more healthier now than I was with the band.  I have a more normal life than I had with the band.  I lived in fear of getting sick after eating and I always had to go in for adjustments.  If I had to do it all over again I would have never had the band.  DS all the way baby!   

I highly recommend that you check out the DS board here on OH as well as going to

www.dsfacts.com and checking out all the information that is available there about the DS.

I don't know what part of WI you are in but if you are anywhere near Stevens Point I would highly recommend my surgeon. He is a great Dr. and really really cares about his patients and is very careful in his treatment of his patients.