Question:
Has anyone lost their insurance shortly after surgery? What did you do for follow up

My husbands job is laying off quite a few people, although he lucked out for the first rounds. He said they most likely will begin more lay offs in a month or two. I just got my approval on Thursday, and Dr.s office said I will most likely be able to have my surgery on either the 8,9, or 10th of Aug.. SO SOON!! Which is good incase the lay offs come sooner then expected. When that happens though would I be able to just see any Dr. for follow ups, or should I still go to the surgeon and pay out of pocket? What kind of test do they do at all the post op visits, are they usually included as part of the surgery (lord knows that costs enough!) Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!    — Chandra M. (posted on August 5, 2001)

August 5, 2001
I don't know if it is a law or what but most surgeons give free visits for 90 day following a major surgery. It is built into their fee. I haven't heard of any surgeon that charges right after surgery. You can also go on COBRA if your husband gets laid off. This is where your insurance stays the same but you pay the premium to keep it. It might be worth the cost for a while after surgery. Best wishes to you and your family.
   — Sherri M.

August 5, 2001
My hubby's job was just eliminated and I know what you are going through, sending lots of cyber hugs to you & your hubby! One of the few great things that President Clinton did was enhance the COBRA laws and get rid of the "preexisting condition" exclusion that was in most insurance policies. All employees who are termniated/eliminated/fired/layed off/however separated from their jobs will recieve the opportunity to continue your existing insurance coverage for 18 months by simply paying the cost out of your pocket. Sometimes expensive, but at least you have the coverage! For example, we will be paying $706 per month to continue dental and health insurance for a family. All employers also send each employee a letter stating that you have insurance coverage for a specific period of time, keep it, so that you can prove to your next carrier that you have kept the insurance. My situation is that our coverage goes away at the end of August, all the new positions my hubby has looked at don't have great coverage, so.....we are keeping our current coverage till I get through my surgery and few months of post-op. My PCP and surgeon are well aware of the situation and are really working with us----let them know of these things, doctors can sometimes move mountains! I'm getting things scheduled very quickly, getting great service, and all because our current insurance carrier is very supportive of this surgery. When I first heard of trouble with my hubby's employer, I too felt as if this whole surgery issue and the rest of MY life would need to be placed on hold, however after making a few phone calls to the HR people, my PCP's insurance & billing gal, and the insurance company, we decided that there was really no problem at all and not too much to worry about since we are lucky enough to have some savings in the bank to cover our extra expenses for a few months. Best part is that my hubby may be able to be home 24/7 after I have the surgery when I'll be needing him most. So go ahead with your WLS plans, and spend your time not worrying about it, rather help that hubby get a good resume together and start looking for a next career step, now, before the next round of layoffs! Can you tell I once upon a time worked as a technical recrutier for a temporary placement agency????
   — Sue F.

August 5, 2001
COBRA is expensive but try to keep it if God forbid, your husband does get laid off (I hope not). It's not just the post-op visits you need to be concerned with, which are generally free for a short time, but you must be covered in case of any unforseen problems. Even the small ones like an endoscopy or dilation of the stoma could end up costing you a lot of money out of pocket. If you can't afford the COBRA which is very expensive and people who are laid off ususally can't afford it, there are also charity care programs at many hospitals if you do end up needing more medical care than the usual post-op care. Chances are that all will go well and your post-op care will be nothing more than a few checkups with your surgeon that are included in the price of the surgery but it pays to be as prepared as possible. Good luck with your surgery.
   — [Anonymous]

August 7, 2001
Something else to keep in mind...most people don't realize they have 60 days to pick up the Cobra option and once the premium has been paid, the coverage becomes retroactive back to day one. It gives you a few months to "wait and see" if it's going to be needed. I was recently laid off and this is how the process was explained to me. Obviously, you'll want to verify that on your own.
   — [Anonymous]