UHC does anyone know if they cover the sleeve?

My "special assigned counselor" is about 96 hours overdue from the time they told me she would call.  I know the financial responsibilities I have to meet, but none of the qualification responsibilities required except for the usual psych test, seminar, and pre-op doctor's visit.  Or, most importantly, if UHC covers the sleeve.

My whole train of thought will need to be redirected, and I am anxious to know before Tuesday when I go back to work and can FINALLY take their call.  (I had given them that number as my contact.  Silly me.)

Does anyone have experience with UHC and the sleeve?  I am hoping they cover it.  I think they are phenomenal on all of my other medical things.

My plan under UHC does.

Many UHC plans cover VSG, it depends which plan you have chosen (PPO? Basic?) and which conditions your employer has chosen (although I'm covered by UHC's PPO and the VSG is covered, my husband's employer requires a six-month-long physician-supervised diet prior to allowing the surgery.)  So there's a good chance you can have VSG; it just may take a little longer than you'd like it. But if you really want it, you'll find a way to make it happen. Good luck!

Post Date: 7/6/10 8:02 pm
Thanks SO MUCH for the replies!!  They finally called me back today after a quick call to them this morning, and they do cover VSG!!!  However, I need to do the 6 months of physician supervised diet.  It's a shame, because my psycologist and I have a nutrition segment that lasts 1/2 of our visits.  (She has me convinced that a tortilla chip is nothing but a corn doughnut.  She also failed me on my psych test 2 years ago when I was thinking about WLS.  She said I have been ready for months, but I am just now reconsidering it.)  UHC said it would have counted, but she didn't weigh me each visit, so I won't be able to use it.

The only thing that bothers me (and I mentioned this to them), is that if they had called me back last week when they had promised they would ("all calls returned within 24 hours"), I could have scheduled my surgery at the end of the year.  It would have been tight, but I would have managed it.  As it is now, I will have to wait until after January 1, and my husband's company is forever switching around insurance companies and I fear I run the risk of not being covered after going through all of this.  Instead of crying in my beer today, I should have hounded them for this information last week so I could have made the cut off.

I will have to accept this, but I am disappointed that I couldn't have it done sooner.  :-(  Sorry for the long post.  It felt good to get it off my chest among people who understand.  Thanks.

You'll make it!

My company switched from BCBS of NC (which covers WLS but only RNY and Lap) to UHC which is one of only three insurance companies that say VSG is a viable surgery.

I would have preferred to keep BCBS because Frye is a center of excellence and they don't submit to BCBS of NC for pre-approval, I would have gone to the surgeon and gotten a date from there.

Wih UHC it's not covered because they don't offer it to companies who employee less than 300 people so I have to see if they will do an exception.

Just think, you're all set, six months, six appointments and then soon after the loser's bench!