Help

i had gastric bypass 2012, lost 125 pounds , gained about 6-7 back. I have excess skin on my lower belly button area, I'm wondering if I can get approved for the skin removal? I have United health Care community plan and I'm in Ohio.. I did go to one surgeon couple years ago, and my insurance denied need, he never told me why, but ye also wouldn't see me after the denial..

I found a better Dr at cleveland clinic, I requested the appointment. Now I'm nervous and scared all over again.. I'm so self conscious about my belly skin..

Rhonda

Insurance usually does not pay for skin removal or other PS after WLS. Some surgeons do take finance plans like CreditCare. Otherwise it is out of pocket.

If it is medically necessary insurance will pay for it.. meaning skin infections, yeast . And my insurance will pay for it my friend is having hers done Friday, so I'm going to her Dr and check about iy

Generally, if you do have documented medical issues (that means going to the doctor to report rashes and treating them prescriptions over a set period of time) they will pay for a Panni, but not a tummy tuck.

Not necessarily. Each insurance rider has a different policy. In can have United Health Care and it won't cover it because the rider my employer purchased denies any reconstructive surgery (and specifically due to excessive weight loss) for any reason. Only reconstruction they do is after a mastectomy. While you may also have UHC but the rider your employer chose may include that for specific reason.

Each person needs to get a full copy of your insurance documents and read thru them to determine if reconstructive surgery is included or excluded.

^^ What they said.

I was able to prove medical necessity to get my insurance to cover mine. They're doing it in two stages. I've already had a breast reduction (lift) and scheduled for the panni the first week of June. It took about a year for me to convince my insurance company that it was medically necessary but I had to gather documentation from my regular physician and dermatologist from years of treating chronic rashes. I also had to submit photos of how bad the belly flap is and also of the rashes. I cannot WAIT to get this done!

Good luck!

Congrats on getting the insurance to cover it! :)

Before you even consider to have plastic surgery - make sure you bowel isdues are under control. Also make sure you lab work is very detailed and your blood test results are optimal, not borderline low. That can be dritcritfor proper healing.

Julie posted information and link to vitamin spreadsheet that can help tracking vitamin and mineral levels.

Here is the link to Julie post on the main board.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/6032156/Helpful-vitam in-info/#50406259

my bowel habits are always like this, my Dr says there isn't anything wrong with me. My blood work is always excellent, and I'm not borderline anything. I'm healthy she says.i don't have the answer why I was denied my tummy tuck years ago, Dr said I wasn't approved and wouldn't see need anymore, so I gave up. But I'm going to try again with the Cleveland clinic. All I know is this lower skin is killing me and pulls and hurts my back! I have bajor back issues and this skin is heavy! I've had breast reduction back in 2009, no issues, but my surgeon moved to California.

Anyone been threw this type of surgery?

Rhonda

I had a breast lift, no implants, plus a year later I had a full 360 body lift. (LBL)

I am glad to hear your lab work is good. I personally did not check my blood work before my body lift and trusted my doctors when they told me I was fine.

I had a hard long recovery from my LBL. Thanks to long term post op WLS person, I was made aware that even though my numbers were still theoretically ok, some of them were just barely normal, not optimal. Plus my doc only tested what he thought was important, missing some major for me labs, that in reality affected how I felt. Once I asked for additional testing and got results, I was able to improve my numbers and eventually started feeling much better. I could have avoided that if I knew before my plastics what I learned after.

Fyi: having no BM for up to 14 days is not normal or healthy. If you are like that now, adding plastic surgery with pain pills can result in a serious blockage.

But, if you think being bloated and in pain is normal, so be it.