Insurance!

vetrenee
on 9/1/16 6:53 am

So I contacted BCBS to see if my plan had weight loss management on it and the lady said my plan didn't cover this, but to contact HR at work and see if there was another plan we have that did cover. This was there response.

The Medical Plans to not cover Weight Management of any kind. Barbaric surgery has some complications that happen 2-4 yrs after the surgery which are very high cost so carrier do not cover this.

No I am so unsure what I should do. I can afford for this out of pocket. I just feel like my HR just sentenced me to a life in prison.

 

vetrenee
on 9/1/16 6:55 am

 * meant to say cant afford

White Dove
on 9/1/16 7:00 am - Warren, OH

The main reason so many carriers stopped covering weight loss surgery is because so many people gained back their weight 2-4 years after surgery and then had complications related to the weight gain.

Real life begins where your comfort zone ends

Grim_Traveller
on 9/1/16 7:29 am
RNY on 08/21/12

It's short term math. Insurers are required to cover a great many thibgs. As costs spiral upward, yhey are dropping most things they are not required to cover, whi*****ludes WLS. Insurers that do cover it are instituting restrictions, such as a limit of one WLS per lifetime.

My insurer has saved a bundle because I have lost weight after surgery. Just on meds alone, they've saved money. Long term, they will save even more. Much, much more, from my lack of diabetes, heart disease, etc. But that's lobg term. Most companies think short term profits. And people move around, switch jobs, change insurers frequently. So if they cover your surgery today, it will cost them short term, and some other insurer woll reap the benefits long term.

It's a crappy system. You can look around at jobs with better insurance. Or you can look into surgery in Mexico, where it is much less expensive.

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.

gulphave
on 1/3/23 1:50 am
Adjustable Gastric Band on 12/12/22

I totally agree. Weight loss surgery offers many benefits to insurance companies, but they do not look at the long-term benefits but only look at the short-term damage.

krunker

rachelp
on 9/1/16 7:40 am
VSG on 08/01/16

Look into surgery in Mexico. There are places that have payment plans.

vetrenee
on 9/1/16 7:54 am

I live in Georgia so getting there would not be bad, but what would the time out from work be and how would I do the post op appointments or long term after surgery care. I have seen may times over here that the overall cost and care is better in Mexico. 

I am just worried about the time to get there, then the time for the surgery/hospital stay and then the recovery time after. 

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