Question:
Has anyone purchased insurance just for WLS?

I am currently uninsured, and will not be able to be for almost a year. I know that individuals can buy insurence, I believe its fairly expensive but wondering if its possible to get approved for WLS this way? and is so through who?    — stepmcallen (posted on September 10, 2005)

September 10, 2005
I am not going to be much help but a few years ago I had applied for health coverage with Kaiser and Pacificare and I was rejected by both companies due to my height/weight ratio...basically I was to fat and at the time I weighed 220 and I am 5'3. I am sure that there is coverage out there and I wish you luck finding it. Tara
   — Vegas_ T.

September 10, 2005
That is the million dollar question that everyone has when they start this journey. I'm sorry to say that I know of no company that will let you buy insurance that doesn't exclude the wls simply because they see the risk. You buy the insurance and they pay for your surgery then you dump them when you are done and they don't recoup the money they put out. Rather than trying to put the money into an expensive insurance plan, why not try checking into the South of the Border forum and check out some of the docs in Mexico. I had mine with Dr. Aguirre 18 months ago and I'm thrilled with the care and results. Lots of great doctors down there and for under $10,000 you can get your surgery. Dina
   — Dinka Doo

September 10, 2005
We lost our insurance half way through my approval process. What we did was continue on with COBRA long enough for me to get the surgery. But there are plans out there you can purchase yourself. And dont tell them that you plan on getting the weight loss surgery because what they dont know wont hurt them. Blue Cross Blue Sheild is the easiest to get approved. Everyone That I know that has them has been approved for the surgery. Even on the first round. I have never heard of anyone even having to fight them for it. Call a Bariatrics Center and talk to there counseler they should beable to tell you what types of insurances they see get the easiest approval. That would be a Bariatrics Treatment Center the commercial you see on TV. I think they are now called the Barix Clinic's. All Barix Clinics has a Counseler and they will beable to answer you questions alot more acurately than we can.
   — Jo_Michalko

September 10, 2005
I had problems getting an individual health policy through BC/BS because of my weight. Some individual health plans will require a routine physical to see if you are healthy or not. If you aren't, chances are they aren't going to issue a policy. I'm a post-op with COBRA because I can't find an individual policy that will cover me because I've had the surgery. It's a catch-22, we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. My COBRA is $408 per month, but no other insurance will touch me because I've had the surgery. It's just something else to consider. Good luck and best wishes.
   — Shayna T.

September 11, 2005
have you checked into medicaid?
   — dogs2cats

September 12, 2005
Yes, individuals can get private insurance. Many people whose jobs do not cover it get it. When you get it, you should check first to see if they cover bariatric surgery. One way to do this is to visit their websites. Often you can find that information there.
   — Novashannon

September 14, 2005
This question was on the Caali board recently and someone responded that Blue Cross/Blue Shield let's you purchase a plan for about $200 a month. That person was covered for WLS. I think someone did the same thing for about $400 a month under BCBS too. Good luck!
   — J. Bee

October 26, 2005
Hello.... I am STILL in search of ANYONE who has gotten approval from their insurance co after 7/1/05!!!!! ALOT of people have wonderful things to say about approval but all seem to be Sept 05/04/03
   — Shelly S.