Help before 10/30/11 on Medicare Policy

I have 2 requests for your help to have Medicare approve the BDP/DS and sleeve gastrectomy.

 1.      Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is accepting public comment for the acceptance of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy until 10/30/11. Please submit your statement of support. After reviewing all public comments received, they will release a proposed decision memorandum. To submit your public comment, click on the following link:

http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/nca-vi ew-public-comments.aspx?NCAId=258&NcaName=Bariatric+Surgery+ for+the+Treatment+of+Morbid+Obesity&ExpandComments=n&ver=2&C overageSelection=National&KeyWord=bariatric+surgery&KeyWordL ookUp=Title&KeyWordLookUp=Title&KeyWordSearchType=And&KeyWor dSearchType=And&bc=gAAAABAAIBAA&.

 2.      In Illinois, only the University of Chicago provides laparoscopic BDP/DS as a Medicare Center as Excellence. The Chicago Regional Administrator for Medicare denies coverage for a terminated by necessity BPD/DS surgery and effectively caused the University of Chicago to discontinue providing DS to Medicare Beneficiaries. Approved surgery that is terminated for the patient's well-being is to be covered: That a sleeve gastrectomy, currently not a Medicare approved procedure, is a "by-product" of the terminated BPD/DS surgery is immaterial and not a reason to deny coverage. This policy of the Chicago Regional Administrator for Medicare forces Medicare beneficiaries in the area to travel to another state to have the surgery. Their policy jeopardizes patient health and safety, and so is unprofessional and medically unethical.

I hope that you will assist me in telling this office to correct their  error in judgment. Your statement, or copy of the above paragraph,  should be emailed to:
 [email protected]  and

[email protected] 

I thank you for your support.