skin removal
Can anyone tell me how to get insurance to approve me for skin removal? I have lost over a hundred pounds and have lots of saggy skin all over. I went to the p.s. a few month ago. He told me to stop loosing weight, that basically I only have extra skin that needs to be removed at this point. He also told me that my insurance BlueCross/Blue Shield of Texas does not pay for skin removal. I have a lot of extra wrinkly skin but not a lot of folds. Help! I know many of you can help guide me to success.
Well first you need to call your insurance yourself and find out what your coverage is.
VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)
Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170
TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)
Call your insurance company to see if they would cover skin removal at all. Some plans don't. Then typically there needs to be documented proof of issues with the skin (it hanging past a certain point, doctor-noted rashes, etc.).
VSG: 06/24/15 // Age: 35 // Height: 5'10" // Lost so far: 190 lbs
HW: 348 (before 2 week pre-op diet) // SW: 326 // CW: 158
TT/Lipo & BL/BA: 07/21/17 with Dr. Reish (NYC) BL/BA Revision: 01/11/18 with Dr. Reish (NYC) 
Unconventional Sleever & Low-Carb Lifer
If your plastic surgeon said your insurance does not cover it, then it probably does not, but you should call just in case. Have you documented rashes, infections, other problems due to the skin? Even if insurance companies do cover the skin removal it is usually due to health problems caused by the excess skin, not just because you have excess skin.
Good luck. Most of us have had to pay out of pocket. Where there is a will, there is a way.
Laura in Texas
53 years old; 5'7" tall; HW: 339 (BMI=53); GW: 140 CW: 170 (BMI=27)
RNY: 09-17-08 Dr. Garth Davis
brachioplasty: 12-18-09 Dr. Wainwright; lbl/bl: 06-28-11 Dr. LoMonaco
"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears."
It's not the insurance company that determines coverage it's the policy you (or your employer) carries.
As an example, I had Bell's palsy last November and it l get me with a droopy lost lid. I couldn't close my eye all the way and had to take it shut at night so my eye bball didn't cry out. Plus I kept getting soap in it and it teared constantly. My isurance company (Pacific Source) insisted that they NEVER cover lower lid eye surgery. Interesting thing is that they agreed to pay for uppger lid surgery that was 100% cosmetic!
Turns out the the contract my employer has with the insurance is completely different that their other policies and covered my surgery. It only took two days and 23 phone calls and an email to the insurance companies CEO to get it straightened out.
On the other hand my policy specifically excluded all pay weight loss surgery other that abdominal skin removal...
It never hurts to ask. Documenting problems as you lose weight, including your own photos, is always a good idea.
Check out "Tips for Getting Insurance Coverage"
http://www.drlomonaco.com/patient-resources/
Plastic Surgery
Houston, Texas
www.DrLoMonaco.com
www.BodyLiftHouston.com
