Question:
First Health Exclusions --Obesity Surgery

In my first health plan it has a exclusion that states it will not pay for surgical procedures for obesity .Has anyone gotten pass this? And i would love to have the fobi-pouch done. aLL ADVICE welcomed Thanks Debbie    — Debbie S. (posted on May 8, 2000)

May 9, 2000
Debbie, if that's the exact wording of the exclusion, you may be able to get around this. They are excluding surgery for obesity, not morbid obesity. With a BMI over 40, you are considered morbidly obese. They will probably deny you the first time around in the hopes you'll just go away, but persistent people usually win, so keep appealing, even if you have to call on Walter Lindstrom, our own legal eagle. Good luck, Leslie
   — Leslie F.