Aetna denied me.

I just got a call from my dr office in regards to my req for a revision from the band to the sleeve. I have Aetna ins and they denied me for that they say that I can only have 1 weight loss surgery per my life time. WTH who are they????
Does anyone know if UHC aproves revisions?

I think it depends on your specific plan through your employer. I know others have been approved by both Aetna and by UHC. Do you have UHC as your secondary? Call them and ask if they allow revisions and if there are any exclusions for wls. Best of luck to you. I have Aetna myself....and I'm very nervous about getting approved.

this is actually getting more and more common, many insurance co are limiting one wls per lifetime.  If this is an exclusion you have it is iron clad and no amount of appealing will overturn that.  can you get a different insurance policy?  make sure you read the adhesion contract before switching, but I think you will see this more and more.  there are some great self pay out there also.


Edit:

oh the question if UHC approves revisions it is not about UHC, Aetna, BCBS it is about the specific policy that you get and NOT the insurance co. hence you need to read the specific adhesion contract and ALL the exclusions.  because yes UHC, Aetna, and BCBS all pay for revisions if it is in the contract, but that is true with pretty much all procedures

PLEASE go post this on the Main Board.

 
Many ins co's are going this route and I kinda can't blame them.  People are not getting good surgery types for them the first time around and ins doesn't want to keep paying for WLS for the same people time and time again.

They don't have to cover WLS at all let alone 2+ times.

Question with regards to self pay:   What happens if a self pay person has complications in the future?  Does insurance cover that or do you have to self pay that?  For example strictures where you need a dilitation or bowel obstructions.

I use to work at Anthem. From what I understood, they wouldn't cover anything of that nature (complications of wls). I could be wrong though. Hopefully someone who is a self pay can answer better.

 
They do cover.

Think of it this way, I have a friend who had a tree fall on his house.  Man, chainsaw, big tree, top of house.... Did I mention MAN?

Chainsaw ripped through his leg.  Ins doesn't cover stupidity but they cover fixing what stupidity does. ;o)

Each person I have seen here has had complications covered including life flights from MX to the US.

Example, if someone has a band slip they won't pay to reposition the band but they will pay to remove the band.

If you are going to self pay go to MX.  The better surgeons eat the complications as long as you are still in MX.  Triple the hospital time, double the experience, half the price.  Research is free, self pay in the US is expensive.

YES YES AND YES!!!!   i have UHC...  APPROVED!!

 
It's policy specific.  Aetna will cover revisions under one policy but not another.