BCBS Coverage of Excess Skin Removal

Rhodi,
The pannus is the lowre part of the belly skin that hangs down after you lose the weight. Most insurance companies will pay por the removal of the pannus if it gets in the way of walking, or you develop a rash underneath that doesn't respond to treatment. They will only pay for the removal of the skin that hangs, between the belly button and the pubis. This surgery is called a panni.

Most of us need more than just a pannie, we need a full tummy tuck (TT). In a TT the surgeon tunnels under the skin all the way up to the breastbone and pulls it all down and removes more skin than the panni. He will also suture together muscles that have become separated by the fat. The insurance copmpany will typically NOT pay for this part, the patient has to pay the difference.

thank you for the detailed response.

HI, I SEEN THE PLASTIC SURGEON YESTERDAY IT ALL WENT QUITE WELL. SHE TOOK ALL THE NEEDED PICTURES IN ADVANCE JUST INCASE MY FEDERAL HEALTH PLAN BC/BS OF TEXAS APPROVES THE SURGERY.. I HAD A LETTER OF REFERRAL FROM THE BARIATRIC SPECIALIST I HAVE BEEN SEEING. MY GASTRIC BAND WAS DONE OVER 5 YEARS AGO AND MY WEIGHT IS NOW STABLE. I LOST 100 POUNDS. I WAS TOLD BY THE HEALTH PLAN THAT THEY DO CONSIDER THIS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THE WEIGHT AND KEPT IT OFF FOR A PERIOD OF TIME LIKE I HAVE AND THAT BOTH THE ABDOMINOPLASTY AND PANNIS REMOVAL CAN BE DONE AND IT WOULD COVER THIS. THIS TOO IS ON THE REFERRAL LETTER WITH THE PROPER CODING AND REASON BUT THE PLASTIC SURGEON SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER FOR THE TUMMY TUCK. I AM GOING TO CALL THE HEALTH PLAN ON MONDAY. IF THEY TELL ME NO WELL OK THEN. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THRE IS NO EXERCISE IN THE WORLD TO TIGHTEN UP WEAK MUSCLES. I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE HAVING THE SAME HEALTH PLAN IN TEXAS IF THEY WERE ABLE TO GET BOTH PROCEDURES COVERED OR NOT. HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM SOMEONE.

looking at everyones questions/replies your all giving me a glimmer of hope that i will have this nightmare of excess skin removed from all our hard work. :)

I have Anthem BCBS PPO and I just had a brachioplasty 4 weeks ago that they covered.  They denied the thigh lift and upper body lift so I had to pay out of pocket for that.  I didn't have the time or energy to appeal.