Question:
do i qualify for the lap band surgery im 19 i live in the bronx in new yokr

   — madeline1216 (posted on June 17, 2008)

June 17, 2008
Your qualification isnt just based on your age and the fact that you want surgery. That determination has to be made by your PCP or a bariatric surgeon. There are numerous tests involved before a doctor will determine you as a suitable candidate for surgery. Depending on where you go it could take months or up to like a year to go through the whole process. Its best to research WLS centers in your area and make some calls. Your first step is going to a seminar, then they schedule you for testing and a consulation with a surgeon, if you are deemed suitable for surgery then they get a pre-approval for surgery with your insurance carrier. Have you done any research yet? How much do you know about the process?
   — jenbn

June 17, 2008
For the most part, the first poster was correct. If you are self pay, and can afford to pay for the surgery YOURSELF (unlikely at your age), or if your parents are going to do it for you, then the first poster is correct. If you are using INSURANCE, then the INSURANCE COMPANY ALSO has a say in whether you qualify for Weight Loss Surgery or not. Contrary to what MANY people believe, Insurance companies are NOT in business to keep you HEALTHY. They are actually BETTING that you will BE healthy and NOT need their services! Many Insurance Companies will make you go on a DIET for anywhere from 6 months to a YEAR before they will approve you for Weight Loss Surgery, in order to PROVE that you cannot lose weight by dieting. Others will SAY that they will approve it, but GETTING them to do so is ANOTHER story. Some will only approve people who have a Body Mass Index that EXCEEDS a predetermined set point. If you do not meet that criteria, they will not approve. Some people have actually had to GAIN weight in order to qualify for weight reduction surgery with their insurance company. It is actually IN the Insurance companies' (I DO mean COMPANIES, PLURAL here) best interest to HELP their customers stay (or in SOME cases, GET) HEALTHY, but many have a very SHORT TERM VIEW when it comes to doing this. Paying for YOUR Weight Loss Surgery NOW would likely PREVENT an insurance company from having to pay for a MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE HEART ATTACK, LATER. It would ALSO likely prevent the costly expense of the maintenance and complications from Diabetes. Insulin, needles, and test strip costs add up over time. They are NOT cheap. Add to THOSE, the costs that come with the COMLICATIONS that COME with DIABETES. Things like AMPUTATIONS, LOSS of VISION, and DIALISIS are ALL very costly. These things can be avoided if the insurance companies would just PAY for the Weight Loss Surgeries when they were NEEDED. The INSURANCE companies are betting that by the time you NEED these OTHER surgeries or medical supplies and medications, you will be SOMEONE ELSE'S problem, and NOT theirs. They figure that in avoiding to pay for the Weight Loss Surgery, they have avoided ALL of the costs for THAT patient because, by the time he NEEDS these other things, he will be SOMEONE ELSE'S customer. They believe that they have then passed the financial burden for that patient on to the NEXT company. What they FAIL to see is that if they ALL paid for the Weight Loss Surgeries when they were NEEDED, those OTHER complications wouldn't be as much of an ISSUE. They would ALL gain! Because a FEW companies do not want to pay for these surgeries, the REST do not want to EITHER. I don't know if it is because they feel that they will be unfairly burdened with the costs, if there are some short sighted health concerns, or if it simply because they are all greedy PIGS, I just know the realities of the situation. There are a FEW companies that will pay for Weight Loss Surgery without a fight. There are some that will pay for it, but you have to FIGHT. There are some that, no matter WHAT you do, you CANNOT get them to pay for it. In ANY case, it is in YOUR best interest to get as MUCH INFORMATION as POSSIBLE about your Weight Loss OPTIONS. If you want to learn MORE, check out my profile page at: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/hubarlow/. Look of a post called, "Surgical Options." If you cannot find it when you get to my profile page, check in the March Archives. In my post, I have some links to some videos about all of the most COMMON Weight Loss Surgical Options. Use MY research as a foundation for YOUR OWN research. DO your OWN research. It is IMPERITIVE for you to be informed about your options regarding Weight Loss Surgery. This is something that you are going to have to LIVE with for the REST of YOUR LIFE. I wish you all the best, Hugh
   — hubarlow

June 18, 2008
I would start with your PCP and see what they think. From there they would probably reccomend a surgeon. They will see what you need to get done before they qualify you for surgery. I would go online and read up on the sugeries and what they entail so you will be informed. With your bmi, you will probably qualify. Good Luck...
   — dyates2948