I have experience with an eroded band and surgical removal. Mine was placed in September 2008 and I had to have emergency removal in January 2016, The surgeon told me that my band had eroded 60%. I had developed an infection and went to the ER in my town (one of several trips and multiple trips to my PCP which resulted in more rx's for meds to treat symptoms). I was put on antibiotics and scoped, transferred to another hospital for emergency removal of my band. Ended up being out of work for 6 weeks! Not a good experience. If you would like to communicate further about this, contact me!
The refusal is crazy. Doesn't your med plan have an appeals procedure? You'll need to be armed with surgeon's and, even better, other medical recommendations for removal coverage.
If that gets you nowhere, take a shot at this law practice: http://wlsappeals.com/
The attorney, Walter Lindstrom, was often named as a resource for people who were turned down by their med plans for band surgery. Perhaps he can help in the other direction, who knows? I know of him only because his name came up often enough in the now all but defunct Yahoo group, Smart Bandsters.
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P.S. Sorry, I didn't see the last couple of lines in your note. You're already pursuing the appeal process.
ERNJN reacted to Luckeydoo in Eroded Band Removal DENIED.. please help.