what to do...panni approved

Hi I was hoping to get some opinions on this I have been approved for a panni and the surgeon wants to do the muscle tightening as well  BUT my insurance doesn't cover it... we are trying to work the $2500 out financially but my question is this

If it were you and you could only do the panni without the tuck would you go ahead or wait until you could do both not knowing when or if that can happen??
Thanks

I know what I would do! If I could get the insurance to cover the panni, I would sell all my possessions, borrow, beg what ever it took to get the rest for the muscle tightening.  I have to pay $8000 just for the tummy tuck because my insurance won't pay for anything....  I am working three jobs and signed up for school, took the max. student loan, just to get my plastics done.  So, its an opportunity you have to get it all covered for only $2500.  Do you have 401K you can withdraw from?  Family member that would loan it too you?  House you can pull $ out from?  Just some suggestions.

 

Val

Thanks Val,
We are working every option right now hoping and begging!

 If it was possible I would do it. You will not want to have to go thru the surgery again. If you do not have issues above the belly button you may not need it but if you do have extra skin there  I think you have to try. 2500 will not even cover the hospital if you go back and do it later.

I, too, would do everything I could to make this happen.  But -- I would not put it off too long.  Even if that means just getting the panniculectomy.  I say this because in general insurance is changing and some employers change plans frequently.  Who knows if you would get approval for the panniculectomy a second time.  This is one time where delaying past the point of your approval date would be taking a real roll of the dice.  Not only could your insurance change -- but if a different reviewer looked at your documentation they might see something different and determine that the procedure was not medically necessary.  If worse comes to worse and there is no other way to get the cash then I would be looking at one of the medical credit card companies -- provided you can afford the payments.

Red

I'm in the "do what you can to make it happen" camp.

You'll do one recovery and go under anesthesia once rather than twice.

Your approval from your insurance might have an expiration date, if you're not sure, call and find out.  I doubt your insurance plan would change prior to after your next open enrollment (when the new benefit year starts).  Unless something drastic (as in an insurance compliance issue) your policy should not change mid-year.  Your approval on the other hand, may be good for a limited time.

I'm with Lisa and everyone else....if you've got the anesthesia, hospital stay, etc. paid for under "panni removal", I'd beg, borrow and steal to find the extra to do the full TT. Perhaps you will be approved for a medical loan?

Good luck.

Yes, if there is any way possible, do both at the same time.  I had to have three separate surgeries all along the midline (open RNY, hernia repair, TT) and after the TT the incision turned necrotic from compromised blood flow (too many surgeries in that spot) and I ended up with a huge crater in my belly that took six months to fill in and now looks like a burn scar on my belly.  Each separate surgery increases your chances of complications (not to mention additional recovery times).

Lora