Federal Employee BC/BS and LapBand surgery

Just wondering if anyone has been able to get approved for LapBand surgery with FEP BC/BS. I know that they will approve gastric bypass and gastric stapling. I first started considered WLS 2 1/2 years ago and that time was told they would NOT cover LapBand. I'm hoping they have caught up with the times, but so far my emails have gone unanswered. Thanks for any info! Marcy

I heard that they just started approving it July 1- but have yet to confirm with them - I will let you know if I find anything out -

According to BCBS fedeal and OPM they only cover bypass. Bad news. But the good news is that two federal plans (GEHA and MHBP) do cover the lap band. However, you usually have to wait until open season to switch. (November) and the coverage doesn't begin until January. So I had sort of resigned myself to putting this on the back burner until january. My hubby just reminded me that under some cir****tances you can change insurance in the middle of the year even though its not open season. For those of you following - BCBS federal does cover bypass but not Lap band. I was thinking I would have to wait until open season in january and switch then as there are some plans offered by my employer that do cover the lap band. Anyway - according to the OPM website if your spouse's private insurance is terminated mid-year that is a "qualifying life event" which would allow me to switch plans mid-year !!!! I am still waiting to hear back from OPM to see if I am reading the regs correctly... (FYI - Other Qualifying Life Events that might enable a federal employee to switch insurance mid-year include the birth or death of a family member covered under your policy, a minor reaching age 22, divorce, adoption, getting a foster child, change from full-time to part-time employment or the reverse, spouses dependent coverage is terminated, or employee becomes entitled to medicare) Just thought I would share this with everyone since there have been a few threads on the federal Blue Cross Lap-Band issue. If one of these qualifying life events applies to you you may be able to switch plans mid-year and not wait until open season.