Public Comment period ends 12/23- Pls Read

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDS 12/23/2005 Medicare wants to exclude the Duodenal Switch and other WLS procedures from Coverage (and other procedures below) for all Medicare patients. Medicare wants to restrict all WLS surgery to only persons under the age of 65. If Medicare excludes this surgery- private insurance companies will follow their lead. If you have not done so already, please leave a comment with Medicare. Please let them know (for example) that the Duodenal Switch** BPD/DS should be covered. And those persons 65 and older should not be excluded from Weight Loss Surgery. Please send Comments to: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/public_comment.asp?nca_id=160&basketitem= If you are so inclined; drop a note to your Senator, Representative or President asking them to change Medicare's proposed decision, here is a easy link to them: http://mygov.governmentguide.com/mygov/home/ Please check this: Medicare's Slippery Slope http://www.medicareforus.org/ Proposed Decision Memo for Bariatric Surgery for the Treatment of Morbid Obesity (CAG-00250R) "The evidence is not adequate to conclude that the following bariatric surgery procedures are reasonable and necessary and they are therefore non-covered for all Medicare beneficiaries: open vertical banded gastroplasty, laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty, open sleeve gastrectomy, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, open adjustable gastric banding, open biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch, and laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch. The two non-coverage determinations in the National Coverage Determination Manual (NCDM) remain unchanged: Gastric Balloon (NCDM Section 100.11) and Intestinal Bypass (NCDM Section 100.8). . " http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/viewdraftdecisionmemo.asp?id=160