Question:
Anyone with BC/Bs of Illinois PPO been approved for hernia/abdominalplasty

I was a lightweight starting at 263. I have a bad back with lots of back pain and pretty much live on tylonel 3.Have alot of loose skin hanging and was wondering if its possible to get this surgery done. What is the creteria that they want for this surgery. I am just going to start the process and don't want to get my hopes too up there as I know some insurance companies are getting stricter with this. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.    — Maureen C. (posted on May 16, 2005)

May 16, 2005
I also have bcbs IL and like all insurances all bcbs policies are not created equal. It depends on your contract your employer negotiated. Mine is thru the electricians union. I had a hernia repair 2 years ago as an emergency for an obstructed bowel so there was no hassle there. I found out after the fact that it is fairly standard for a general surgeon to place the mesh which "fixes" the hernia, but that the muscle was not repaired. so I still had a gap there that was visible and palpable. I submitted for the tummy and they only asked for pictures, saw how far my panni hung (below the pubic area)and approved a panniculectomy. that really was not what I wanted so I paid the difference for a lower body lift and muscle repair. it was well worth the extra hours worked and I would absolutely do it again.
   — **willow**