MaYbE a DuMb QuEStIoN..........

I would like to know how can one Kaiser dept. differ from the other Kaiser dept's on what the requirements are for WLS?  I have heard that Kaiser San Diego no longer requires a 10% weight loss, but Kaiser Fremont still requires 10% weight loss, where S. San Francisco it just depends on your doctor. Just wanted to know? Miss Ladybug Annabelle

I can't speak specifically about Kaiser, I'm sorry.  However, it is not unusual for the same insurance company to have different requirements/exclusions/coverages based on the individual contracts of the employer.  Each policy is negotiated individually with each organization that contracts with the insurance company.  The best advice I received was to call the phone number on the back of my insurance card and ask questions to the representative who answers.  Make sure that they request your insurance policy number and are giving you information based on your specific plan.  Speak with your surgeon's office, they should be able to give you procedure and diagnosis codes that you can use when talking to you insurance company.  That way you know that the same code your surgeon will use to bill your insurance company is the same code you're talking about when  you speak to a representative.   Good luck! Pam