What is the difference

I am curious about something.  Should have dug a little deeper during my consultation with the surgeon but maybe I can get some answers here.

I am having my lap band removed soon and want to have the sleeve but surgeon is thinking RNY might be better.  But, that isn't the topic of this post.

The doc said he would remove my band in one surgery.  After that, I can enter their program for the next surgery.  However, he made sure I understood the second surgery would be for me as a "new surgery".  Is this an insurance thing?  Will it be easier to get insurance approval under these cir****tances than if I had remained a revision surgery?  Has anyone else's doc done the same thing and what was their reasoning for it?

Realizing I should ask him or the surgery coordinator, I will if nobody here can answer but they are so busy, I hate to call just for that.

It sounds like you have a surgeon that is more comfortable doing RNY, but what is easiest for the surgeon to do for an hour, means nothing compared to living with the procedure for life. I, personally think the sleeve is a better procedure, as they have similar weight loss stats, but the sleeve has fewer problems in comparison. 

If I wanted the extra help of malabsorbtion, then the DS is better (best for weight loss, maintenance, and resolution of co-morbs) as it is the sleeve stomach, with a different part bypasses. 

Research what will work best for you, and then go to a surgeon that does it. They won't recommend a procedure they don't perform, as that would be sending away a paying customer.

This is the same way our center handles it too.  (My insurance was actually was almost ready to OK the sleeve if I would do it in one.  They have a once in a lifetime WLS policy and were only approving the band removal due to medical need.)  The center held fast to the band out before revision.  This is due to the ASMBS recommendation that there are less risk with the revision after letting the stomach heal.

I had to go thru as a new patient to get the sleeve.  They made me do the whole process over with the addition of seeing the WLS therapist for six sessions over six months.  

The insurance also made me go thru the whole process as a new WLS pataint and I had to appeal each step as the would deny based on the Once in a life time policy even after the agreed to cover it at top level verbal appeal.

So for me it was an insurance and center thing. 

Thank you both for your responses!

I wonder about that too.  But, I had one insurance do the band, the second insurance I picked up for additional coverage is doing the lap removal and then I received my Medicare card and they will be covering the new surgery IF they approve.  They can't use the once in a lifetime then can they?

I don't believe Medicare has that clause.

I am a lapband removal and revising to RNY on July 13. I was looking at the sleeve but surgeon has discovered that due to the damage that the band has done that the RNY is going to be a better long term option. I am trusting in him since he has done so many