federal insurance plans

I'm trying to select an ins co that will be best. I am a federal emp. Is bc/bs ppo any good or blue choice. any info will be helpful.

Patti: I'm researching BCBS right now to see if they will cover as that is the insurance I have. I have only talked to one person at BCBS but she was adament that they will cover gastric bypass with the $250.00 deductible 90/10 on the rest. This is the Standard option not the basic. The banding procedure is not covered at all "no exceptions". This is just one persons statement....there is always the appeal system.

BCBS Federal Standard will cover both lap and open gastric RNY bypass and VGB gastroplasty. However, alot of the WLS doctors (I am in Texas) have dropped their contracts with them because they pay so low. I know that Mailhandlers is one that the WLS surgeons have not dropped and mailhandlers covers the gastric bypass I know. So, I would check with each doctor's office and see if they are still considered in network. Look for the doctor first and then pick insurance that is in network for that doctor. I had 8 surgeons that were in my provider directory as preferred for BCBS, but found out they had all dropped BCBS and were now out of network as of April 2003. So, I would decided what doctor you want to do the surgery, find out what insurance he is considered in-network for and then choose that plan. All of the federal plans pay for WLS. They were the first ones to start covering it. They just do not cover all types.