Health Insurability of Patients POST Gastric-Bypass

A friend of mine that had a grastric bypass recently lost her health insurance coverage when she was no longer covered by a group health policy at work. She worked for a small company, and they decided not to offer health insurance to their employees under a group policy, but said they would refer them to several companies so they could find private coverage. So, she had to look for private health insurance. She called several health insurance companies and applied for coverage under a private policy. ALL companies denied her, because she had had a gastric bypass, even though she is more than 1 year or so out and has had no problems. They told her that she was totally uninsurable now because they didn't know the long-term side effects of the surgery, didn't know what to expect in the way of health problems related to the surgery down the road, and because the procedure was too new and they didn't have any data, they would not cover anyone under a private policy that had had the surgery. Plus, they told her that often-times, they consider the surgery as "elective," even though prior authorization was given under her group policy as "medically necessary." Do you know if this is true? Am I (and all other gastric-bypass patients) now totally uninsurable under a private policy just because I have had a gastric bypass? Do you have any information on this, or know who I could talk to about this? I would think that losing the weight would make you more insurable, not totally uninsurable. If this is true, it makes me very uneasy, should I ever find myself in the same situation of having to find private health insurance, but nobody will insure me, because I have had the surgery

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I needed to get clarification on this. I am scared to death to now leave my employer in a few months after my surgery for fear I will not be able to get health insurance. Should I leave my current job and get employed somewhere else, will I possibly be denied health insurance because I've had the surgery?  How will they know?  Do they ask this SPECIFIC question on their application? OMG, this is the last thing I need.   Please anyone, please tell me what I should do.  I can't afford to not have insurance.  I just can't. I really don't want to stay at my employer, but now I have the feeling I will have to due to the fact I may not get insured with a new employer's plan.