Question:
Opinions on BCBS....I have CIGNA and could pick up BCBS with a new job

hi there, was offered a new job today, which offers BCBS as the insurer. (hubby has Cigna now) I know there are varying "degree's" of BCBS, but upon looking throught the insurance section here, it encouraged me. If I pick up BCBS, how much of what I have done already, will I have to re-do, if at all? Opinions??    — [Deactivated Member] (posted on May 16, 2003)

May 15, 2003
From what I have heard while researching this for myself, Cigna is right behind Aetna in becoming tough to get approvals on. However, BCBS is one of the best and easiest, at least in my area of NJ.
   — Nannette

May 16, 2003
Hi there! I have BCBS of Arizona, PPO, and they were great. They did deny me at first, but the lady I spoke to said it was an "easy fix" and all in all, I had an approval within about a month. You can read my profile for details. They have been very nice so far. My policy didn't exclude wls and it didn't include it either, it had a very vague statement about weight loss treatments, but they're going to cover the surgeon and the hospital, and Biodyne who they contract through for mental health services even covered most of my psych eval, too. Good luck!
   — beeda

May 16, 2003
I have BCBS ---they approved me with my first request and have been great to work with...Kathi
   — Kathi G.

May 16, 2003
I have bcbs of tx federal employee and have been denied..... good luck
   — marcelle1070

May 17, 2003
I agree with you that it is very important to remember that there are many different flavors of Blue Cross/Blue Shield. However, I tried for four years and three different jobs with four different insurance comapnies and it was not until I got Blue Cross/Blue Shield that I was finally approved. Granted, my condition had worsened in that time, but they were the first company that did not have a specific exclusion for weight reduction surgery, instead allowing it when medically necessary. Their definition of medical necessity was if you have two other co-morbid conditions (high blood pressure, sleep apnea, diabetes, etc.) I was approved on the first try with BC/BS. I had two of the conditions...sort of... The reason I say "sort of" is because my sleep apnea was an old diagnosis (and I was only borderline at that time), and the only time in my life that I had high blood pressure was on the day that the WLS surgeon took it right before we were to submit to the insurance company (I had been rushing through bad traffic, late to the appointment...thank goodness). In neither case did I have to "prove" this. My WLS doctor submitted the info (he had observed the BP but the sleep apnea diagnosis was on my word). I realize there may be some master, diagnosis database out there that keeps track of everything, but as far as I know, the insurance company went by what the doctor submitted. I was shocked to get approved on the first try with BC/BS and was prepared (thanks to this website) to appeal and appeal and appeal, but it was not needed. I hope this information is of help to you. Best wishes! One other thing you may want to check about all of this is whether or not there is any waiting period before a new employee can file for something like this.
   — Steve O.