Dpes anybody know if Medicare covers DS surgery?

 I thought I read somewhere that Medicare covers DS surgery, but I've gone back over my bookmarks and can't find it anywhere.

Does anybody know if it's covered?

Thanks,

Carol

Yes, it does cover it.

(We wrote a lot of letters a few years back to make that happen, if I recall.)

When I had mine in 2009 they did.  In fact, back then, RNY and DS were the only two WLS they covered.

*However*, since it seems governmental polices change by the second, you might want to call and ask, or better yet, check it out on the internet.  I found out by searching Medicare Duodenal Switch, and I got a news release announcing their coverage.

Yes it is covered but some surgeons have costs that are above what Medicare pays and would be out-of-pocket.  I even found one surgeon who had a Medicare wait list that was a year long when I was surgeon shopping.

Medicare does not "pre-approve" or "pre-authorize," just an FYI.

~Becky

Hmmm...I've heard of Medicaid wait lists, but I was unaware of the Medicare wait lists.

I have, but it's been some years ago. The surgeon would only do so many medicare patients a month. I guess the reimbursement wasn't enough?

Ms.-

You shouldn't have any problem with Medicare.  Medicaid is a different story. 

In my state, as soon as Social Security Disability  and Medicare started, Medicaid wouldn't even pay for an aspirin!  Medicare paid for my surgery with very little out of pocket.

The waiting might depend on how busy your surgeon is.

Also, even though they will become medically necessary, don't count on prescription coverage for your vites and protein supplements.  If somebody on the board knows how to make that happen, let us *all* in on that!

Vollinger.

~Becky

 Thanks for the info.  At least I know I have a chance anyway. If I need to pay extra I'm up for that, I just can't afford the whole surgery.  I hope I don't get wait listed! My sister needs some life-saving surgery that they consider experimental, and it's we haven't had any success with Medicare approving it.

Carol-

Let me add something here, since a lot of people are confused.

Medicare is *not* welfare. You pay for it with your income tax dollars, everytime they take it from your paycheck, just as you do with a health plan from your employer. For that matter, you pay for Medcaid through your state income tax dollars, too if your state has them. Last I checked, Florida didn't. Medicaid is based on financial need, and if you do find yourself in a tough place financially, unemployed with no health insurance, don't feel one bit of shame in applying for it. If you become disabled, and had a job that paid well, and you get Social Security disability payments, Medicaid will not go away, but you will likely have such a high spend-down, what you have to pay yourself before they pick up anything, that you might as well not have it. I'm not sure if Medicaid covers any weight loss surgery, since they didn't for me, but they generally pay for the same things Medicare does.