HeyEveryone :-) Looking for Information on Insurance Companies in...

Hi ya'll
I am in the process of moving to Chattanooga from Atlanta.  I am looking for an insurer that either doesn't have exclusions to Bariatric Surgery, or is likely to approve Bariatric Surgery. I've done a lot of searching and still can't find any information on Insurance Companies I should be looking at.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Even if you have info on an Insurance company in North Ga or Atlanta I would be most grateful!

Thanks in advance for your help,

Darra

Hello, and welcome - you will love TN.  Not sure if you have lived here before, but I think that the cost of living is alot less than in Atlanta!

In regards to insurance - if you are getting insurance via your employer, then most companies will use a major carrier i.e. Aetna, United Healthcare, etc.  If you work for the state, I think that they use Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Any of these companies by default generally allow for Bariatric surgery.  You will just need to meet the requirements (they may vary from insurance company to insurance company), but mostly use the follwoing, which is industry standard:
BMI greater than 40 - with being overweight for 5 years or more
BMI 35-40 plus a comorbidity required (sleep apnia(sp?), diabetes, etc) plus overweight for 5 years or more.

Now, the questions comes - does the company that you will work for, do they have an exclusion?  If they do, then generally there is not anything you can do.

My suggestion would be to wait till you get more information from your employer about the insurance company and then once established, contact them.

I hope that I was of any help.

Michael.

Hi Michael,

That was very helpful and greatly appreciated!  Thank you so much for sharing!!

Darra