WLS excluded by insurance!

Hello All, This is my first time posting, and I'm new to this site... so please excuse me if this has been asked before. My company decided to start their own insurance company, and of course that's the only option that they offer for insurance to their employees.  And OF COURSE they don't cover the WLS that I desperately need.  I've saved up the money for the surgery, but have since found out that my insurance wouldn't cover any complications when I pay for the surgery myself. Here are my questions.  My husband is self employed.  Can he purchase insurance privately and cover me as his spouse?  Will his insurance insure me, when I'm already insured by my company's insurance plan?  Can you be covered by two insurance companies, and how does that work? Thanks!

yes you can use your husband's policy as a secondary insurance, it may only pay up to 80% but you can hold a primary and a secondary insurance policy, you could even change your insurance policy to your secondary and use the one your husband gets as your primary in some cases.

Ok if you have insurance through your employer your policy will ALWAYS be primary over your husbands if he carries you on his policy and that would Secondary.   You can never be primary on a spouses insurance if you are actively employed and have insurance through that employer. If your policy does not cover WLS but your husbands does, your surgeon would still have to file to yours first and get the denial then it can be sent your your husbands insurance for possible benefits. I would up front check with your husband insurance to see if they cover WLS a lot of insurance policies obtained by self- employed individuals do not cover WLS unless that person specifically added that WLS rider.  So first check with his insurance to see if WLS is covered and if so explain to the you have insurance through your company and they do not cover ask the insurance through your husband how they will coordinate the benefits since the primary will not allow and get that information so you know basically how much financially you will be responsible for Hope this helps  Vicki

Thank you very much for the replies!  I'm feeling a tiny bit more hopeful about this. One new wrinkle though...I had my husband call and try to get private insurance through BCBS of Michigan.  The guy told him that it was ILLEGAL to have two insurance policies.  That can't be true, can it??? Could I be doing time with a multiple insurance rap?  Maybe I'll lose the weight on a prison food diet plan.  ;)

No it is not illegal to ahve 2 insurance policies.  That guy didnt know what he was talking about  You can have medicare and AARP and I havent seen a single  Elderly go down for a multiy insurance rap. 

You could drop your coverage at work and have him pick you up.  As long as their is no gap in coverages then there wont be a pre-existing disclaimer and you should be fine. :)

Which insurance company would be PRIMARY, depends on several factors. In a nutshell, if your employer has more than 15 employees, it would be  primary, if you husband works alone or has less than 15 employees.  There are other factors that come into play, but this seems to be in line with what you have said so far. I have two major policies, one with Humana and the other Medicare.  I could have 3 or 4 policies if I wanted them.  It is NEVER ILLEGAL to buy a policy.  I do know in Texas you can have BUT NOT USE, two dental policies  (not sure WHY since it is permissible in other states).  I digress. Humana paid 90% after the $300 deductible.  Medicare paid 80% after the 300 deductible.  With more than one insurance company, they COORDINATE benefits. Mine worked like this.  The first $1000 of expenses were paid as follows: Humana $1000 @ 90% = $900 minus the $300 deductible = $600. Medicare $1000 @ 80% = $800 minus the $300 deductible = $500 That $1100 for the first $1000 = 110% coverage. For anything after $1000, I have 170% coverage.  That's 90% plus 80%. Until I have my plastic surgery, after all my weight loss, I am keeping both insurance policies.  It's worth it. PS:  My spouses policy is PRIMARY (since 2005), Dell Computer has more than 15 employees and Medicare said that's the way it is.   Medicare which I had first (1991) is secondary. Another note:  I was also told, I did not need approval from my secondary insurance company, they are obligated to follow the primary's decision.  Of course, remember, they both included WLS coverage.