Has anyone here got ACCHS insurance to pay for tummy tuck? or someone economical or...

Has anyone here got ACCHS insurance to pay for tummy tuck? What was the process..and how long did it take? 
DID it have to be because of rashes? 
Can it be about vaginal skin...like it hangs over it...but I am talking about the tummy...and a tummy tuck.
Also who would you recommend if I cant get ACCHS to pay for it but low priced...I dont want low price and die...so a good surgeon...that will take payments or that is lower priced.
Need to do this ...this year.
Thanks for any advice. Kathleen

Hi Kathleen,
It has been my experience having worked in the P.s. field and had many friends go through the process with insurance that: ~ ~

1.  ACCHS does not have contracts with Plastic Surgeons
2.  ACCHS does not pay for any reconstructive plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery.
3.  Friends with other insurances are almost always denied.
4.  Friends who do get approval often end up with unexpected billing following their plastics.

Soooo.....my recommendation is to shop around and find plastic surgeon's who have been recommended by your peers; maybe in your support groups.  Almost all good plastic surgeon's who have worked with the weight loss surgery post-ops, offer complimentary consultations.  Almost every p.s. offers financing of many types so that you can make payments to a medical loan company rather than the plastic surgeon's office.  Many reconstructive procedures may be considered tax deductable if a PCP or other medical expert has recommended a procedure to cure an issue.

You may consider your medical savings plan if you have one?
If you have a hernia or some other type of "medically necessary" condition that could be fixed at the same time as a plastic surgery procedure, then some surgeon's may discount part of the O.R. and/or anesthesia time.  Of course, all will vary in their pricing and many are offering very sweet deals right now.

I work for Dr. Mazaheri who will be coming up to present to your Prescott support group on the 15th of January.  You may want to come and meet him and see what you think?  He'll also be at the Bridges ST Luke's Grad Seminar on the 31st of January.

If you're interested in a consult then shoot me a p.m. or email me at work:  [email protected] and I'll make sure you get a complimentary consultation.

Good luck with your next step!  It can make such an amazing difference in how we feel about ourselves and how we look after our big weight loss effort!  I NEVER truly felt thin/normal until I had a FLAT tummy!

Congrats on your weight loss!

Kathleen,

I had ACCHS pay 100% of my pannulectomy. Make sure you have documentation on why you need one. I had good documentation from all my doctors. Rashes that were treated with antibiotics or in my case constant yeast infection that were being treated for years. I had my PCP, Infection Disease doctor, Wound Specialist and surgeon all document on my behalf. Make sure you submit pictures of your areas that have issues. The one bad thing I only had 2 doctors that I could pick from and I did not know any better and had a bariatric surgeon do my tummy tuck/ panniculectomy. I was not happy at all because I had a constant wound infection and complained to my surgeon and he blew me off big time. If I was smarter I would have gone to a plastic surgeon. I had a wound vac for 4 months and 2 extra weeks in the hospital. I had to drive downtown for bedside debridments 3 times a week which was not fun. Also my wound busted open on the evening of my surgery. I also had to be readmitted to the hospital and taken back to OR to fix it up and deb-ride it. But in the end I am not going to harp on the doctor that did it but I glad that all the excess skin was cut away. If I did not have it down I sure don't know what have would happen to me. I don't think I will need a tummy tuck just a monsplasty. Be smart and go to a board certified plastic surgeon and see their work. Check out people's incisions. Ask people that had plastic's done. Really do your research. I have been told that say for example this doctor is good at tummy tucks and this doctor is good at arms being done. Check everyone out and ask a plastic surgery doctor if they will cut you a break it does not hurt to ask. I know when it is time to get my arms done, I already know who I want to go to. For my monsplasty I kinda know who I want to have do it. If you have a questions please PM me. I am not having any plastic's till I have lost all my weight and that I am stabilized for about 2 years. I also had a breast reduction with a lift a few years ago from shoulder pain and neck pain. Now my boob have gone south big time and I will also need a lift but that is the least of plastic's I want done. But they were perfect a few years ago and than found out about revision of RNY to a ERNY and that killed them. Good Luck in making this big decision.