Insurance approval

zumbawithpatria
on 7/1/19 9:36 am - Portland, OR
Mini Gastric Bypass on 06/24/13

Has anyone had approval from your insurance company to have skin removal surgery on your arms?

If so how? What do u have to say to convince them it's more than cosmetic? I am also a fitness instructor and I'm forced to wear long sleeves however it still shakes bad and my students don't want to see that. And my skin issues has cost me some jobs becuz I dont look the part.

Please help. I can never afford to have them done.

Thx

Laura in Texas
on 7/1/19 12:18 pm

In all my years here, I can only recall 2 or 3 cases where someone got insurance to approve their brachioplasty.

Look into residential plastic surgery programs- they are usually much lower in cost. Cut back on non-essentials like cable and going out to eat. Work on raising your credit score so you can get a loan. Where there is a will there is a way. Good luck!!

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."

zumbawithpatria
on 7/1/19 1:08 pm - Portland, OR
Mini Gastric Bypass on 06/24/13

I wi**** was that simple in cutting out. Too many medicals bills for emergency surgeries & female problems and my student loans and im a single mom with no help from a deported baby daddy. So I seriously need help at this point. Another loan (another payment) at this point, no can do. Thats why I am trying to figure out a way for insurance to at least help me. Fitness is not my career but it helps me pay bills and I am limited because of this skin.

Laura in Texas
on 7/5/19 6:01 pm
On July 1, 2019 at 8:08 PM Pacific Time, zumbawithpatria wrote:

I wi**** was that simple in cutting out. Too many medicals bills for emergency surgeries & female problems and my student loans and im a single mom with no help from a deported baby daddy. So I seriously need help at this point. Another loan (another payment) at this point, no can do. Thats why I am trying to figure out a way for insurance to at least help me. Fitness is not my career but it helps me pay bills and I am limited because of this skin.

I am also a single mom of 2 via adoption so there never was a baby daddy to help me with anything, yet I still managed to get the plastic surgery I wanted.

OHSU has a plastic surgery residency program. Call and ask for a consult as you work on getting insurance approval.

I wish you the best.

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."

hollykim
on 7/3/19 6:16 pm - Nashville, TN
Revision on 03/18/15
On July 1, 2019 at 4:36 PM Pacific Time, zumbawithpatria wrote:

Has anyone had approval from your insurance company to have skin removal surgery on your arms?

If so how? What do u have to say to convince them it's more than cosmetic? I am also a fitness instructor and I'm forced to wear long sleeves however it still shakes bad and my students don't want to see that. And my skin issues has cost me some jobs becuz I dont look the part.

Please help. I can never afford to have them done.

Thx

they won't pay at all because skin on your arms is not life threatening.

 


          

 

RNY on 12/22/14

You can read your health ins policy to see if there is any way.

I my experience, LaurainTexas and HollyKim are giving an accurate answer, even though it is not want you want to hear.

If there is anyway, starting with the exact wording of you policy may give you a way.

Sharon

Gwen M.
on 7/7/19 5:41 am
VSG on 03/13/14

Are you wearing compression clothing? That might help the skin shaking.

Are you sure your students care about your loose skin? Or is that something you're projecting them? If they do care, perhaps you can ask them for financial assistance?

Do you want to work at places that judge you for your excess skin and your weight loss success?

You've posted about this issue before -- https://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/6036560/sk in-removal/

I'm honestly astounded by your claims relating to being a zumba instructor. I've taken countless fitness classes (and zumba) at countless gyms and I've had fitness instructors of all shapes and sizes over the years. Never once have I heard anyone make disparaging comments about instructors with "atypical" bodies. In fact, the classes I've been to with atypical-bodied instructors are often the most well attended ones.

In lieu of surgery, I recommend that you find some good compression gear (Under Armour tends to be my favorite brand) and invest in therapy to help you reframe how you think about your body's quirks. Your insurance will likely cover therapy, so it's a win-win.

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)

zumbawithpatria
on 7/6/19 11:57 pm - Portland, OR
Mini Gastric Bypass on 06/24/13

I admit I am my own worse critic. I do wear compression sleeves. Still shakes. And it's hot and hell. Every summer especially I risk overheating cuz I cannot wesr short sleeves. The one time I did I was mortified when my arm**** me in the face. I can deal with the rest of my body but my arms I cannot. Clothes I have to buy too big in order to fit my arms. It just sucks all the way around.

Maybe the students dont notice as much as I do but i know how it looks. And I'm trying to move into other areas of fitness. Zumba is more accepting of body type. Body pump for example is not.

*sigh*

guess i will keep trying to win the lotto.

catwoman7
on 7/7/19 7:32 am
RNY on 06/03/15

I think the students would be fine with your arms. In fact, some of them may even be able to relate to you more. I once joined a yoga studio specifically because one of the instructors looked like she weighed between 200 and 250 lbs. I knew she could relate to me (I was SMO at the time). AND...she turned out to be a great instructor to boot! She was great at yoga and very sensitive to her students' physical limitations, even those who weren't obese (e.g., people with arthritis, older folks, etc). I actually wrote to the owner of the studio and thanked her for hiring that instructor.

Sharon SW-267
GW-165 CW-167 S.

on 7/12/19 6:02 am - PA
RNY on 12/22/14

I have had 3 PS, this video gives the best summary of PS after WLS and insurance approval. Be prepared for the f-bombs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoMWdgAp51c

At 4.5 years after surgery, I am ready to Dr. Voung's straight talk. Listen to the end. He has tips for how New Mexico now covers some skin removal surgery.

Sharon

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