CrazyCatLadyinLA

Yay! So glad BCBSIL finally came around. Good luck with surgery! [emoji106]

BCBSIL covered my sleeve. They have 3 requirements: (1) BMI, either 40+ or 35+ with diagnosed comorbidity; (2) visit with nutritionist, and (3) psych evaluation. No monitored weight loss requirement like some other plans.

Hoping to fit back into my wedding ring. I "outgrew" it during my pregnancy. Would be great to be able to wear it again in time for our 25th anniversary next year.

I'm 2/26 also! ????????

Fingers crossed! ????

Me too! ????

My date is February 26th in LA! ????

February 26th in LA! ????

Is it possible UHC updated its Bariatric policy on January 1st?

My surgery is scheduled for 2/26. So far only hubby and my mom know. Both FULLY supportive. Right now only 4 key people at work know I am going be in medical leave for 3 weeks but I didn't say why. HR won't ask and to the rest I just say that I'm a private person. We had 3 people go on medical leave last year (ranging from 3 weeks to 4 months) so people just chalk it up to our department being "unlucky".

Congrats on the approval!

BCBSIL took about 7 days after surgeon submitted me but they mailed the approval so we didn't get the notice for another week after that. Plus the approval letter was a bit vague but the office was used to seeing those letters and knew right away that it was an approval. My surgery is set for February 26th. Good luck with the approval!

I have BCBSIL too. They have 3 requirements: (1) BMI - 40+, or 35-39 with recognized co-morbidities, (2) nutritional consult, and (3) psych evaluation. No supervised diet requirement. Approval is within 30 days of submission (many average about 7 days). For me, my surgeon's office submitted me to BCBSIL on 12/10 and they denied me 12/17. Surgeon resubmitted me 12/28 and 1/5 BCBSIL approved me. My surgery is set for 2/26.

February 26th! ????

Yay! I just got my approval yesterday. ????

I just got the call yesterday that I was approved by BCBSIL! (They initially denied me in December.) Official surgery date not yet set but office said it would be end of Feb or beginning of March. I need a cardio clearance appt date and then they will schedule my surgery date. My surgeon requires a 2 week full liquid pre-op diet. Excited and a bit overwhelmed.

No, BCBSIL didn't give any further info about treatment length. Doubt they would either. However ... My surgeon's office called me today to say that they resubmitted my preauthorization request - and it was APPROVED! If I were a cynical person I would think that the insurance company had purposefully rejected me in December in order to push me out into a new plan year with reset deductibles, etc., especially since the rejection and subsequent approval happened over the span of 3 weeks. ???? I think having an official dx of high cholesterol was key so definitely get your medical conditions formally diagnosed and part of your medical record. Fingers crossed for you! How is that hospital pre-certification suppose to work? Do you have to call BCBSIL? Or does the surgeon? The hospital? My plan has $300 hospital co-pay as well but I would obviously love to have it waived if possible. Cheers!

The undiagnosed osteoarthritis may cause a problem. I have BCBSIL PPO. I had BMI of 38 and undiagnosed hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) that is one of BCBSIL recognized co-morbidity. The surgeon told me to see my PCP about getting medication for it and to see about my blood pressure (also high and undiagnosed). PCP put me on cholesterol med and 2 weeks later surgeon submitted my preauthorization request. BCBSIL sent a denial one week later saying that there was no record of my co-morbidity being unsuccessfully treated by currently accepted medical best practice. No just enough to have the co-morbidity but also need to show no success with medical treatment - which seem to include an actual diagnosis. Hopefully you have better luck with BCBSIL.