Sleeve and insurance issues

 Hello all! I have medicare and medicaid which means I am in insurance hell right now. Living in Concord near Charlotte and really wanting to get the VSG (sleeve) surgery. I know that Medicare has decided not to cover unless it is a research trial (which doesnt seem to be happening anywhere). Medicaid, to my knowledge, is only covering RNY and maybe band, so that is probably a NO to the sleeve in NC as well. It is so frustrating because I know people in other states that have had their sleeve covered by medicaid (florida for instance). What I need to know now : If I have Medicare, is there an individual plan I can pay for in addition to Medicare that is covering the sleeve? Does it even work that way? If you have had any luck in NC with coverage of the sleeve, please let me know who covered it so I can contact them about individual plans/self pay insurance that is not work related. Not sure if these exist now. Anything to avoid $13,000 for cash option surgery is what I am looking for. Don't think I will get the loan I seek from banks I applied to with my low income, so what are the other options? Does anyone know answers to these questions? THANK YOU

i think  that blue cross blue shields is the administrator for medicaire.  Since blue cross believes the sleeve is experimental then medicaire believes it is experimental. 

I do think eventually blue cross and blue shield will start covering the sleeve.  What is your BMI?? could you qualify for the DS??

IT is very expensive to buy your insurance and most do not cover weight loss surgery unless thru a employer.


T

 Thanks for the reply. BMI is 46 right now. I am looking into self pay options more, trying to find a low interest loan. I don't want to wait years for Medicare to approve, so who knows what happens next... This should not be so hard to get healthy