damzelindistres5

Insurance approved my lower body lift! I can't tell you how happy I am. I literally cried tears of joy! Sometimes insurance will only approve a portion of the lift, usually panniculectomy (sp?) but they approved everything for me. I had a history of rashes, boils, repeated yeast infections in my belly button. My belly skin sagged to the pubic region, which is probably why they approved me. Not only will this improve my look but my quality of life! I won't have to move my skin around to do things, like pee, or putting on clothes or shower! So now... What do I need? I need a shopping list of things for this surgery. I might only have a month or two to prepare! Top items on my list: Power Lift Recliner Lots of pillows Walker Pre-op Skin Wash Medical side table on wheels Compression garments come with the surgery but probably need more post-op

It's official! My date is may 1st! Not sure if anyone is following my story but insurance approved my skin removal surgery but the surgeon charges cash up front and you are then "reimbursed" which was a $5,000 reimbursement on a$20,000 surgery. No thank you! I'm going the "cash patient" route. I didn't want to, but I've got to! I'm tackling my most hated (loved) body part, my fupa. It's carried 2 children, gained and lost weight. I can't say I'll miss her LOL. Any advice for a tummy tuck patient? What's my must haves post surgery?

I was so happy when I found out insurance approved my body lift ad a medical procedure (not cosmetic). See, I suffer from skin rashes, boils and irritation. Both in the folds in my stomach and also under my butt cheeks. I have the scars to prove them. After submitting all my records they approved me.... GREAT NEWS! I cried tears of joy when I got approved. But that's where it ended. Every surgeon requires cash payment up front, no big deal. But what is a big deal is the MINIMAL about insurance pays for this procedure. The cash price of $22,000 (some places as low as $19,000) is expensive. Insurance only allows around $3,000 for the entire procedure! IT'S A JOKE. Deductible and max out of pockets, essentially, don't matter because you pay cash up front and only get reimbursement what insurance pays. I have medical insurance. This is a medical issue. Why am I paying still $19,000 out of pocket? Broken hearted.

Basically the way it works here is that if insurance agrees that is medically necessary they will cover it. They have a rate at which they "deem the procedure" to be worth. For example a panniculectomy and tummy tuck would get paid out around $1,200. Additional thigh skin and buttock skin might add another $1,000. So even if the surgeon charges $22,000 insurance is only paying them around $3,000. The rest is the patients responsibility. They won't do it without cash in hand.

Unfortunately there's no one to fight lol. Surgeons won't do the procedure without cash in hand and insure will only pay what they pay. So I'm SOL in this case.

It's not cosmetic... Did you even READ my post? My TT and LBL have been approved to be "covered" as well.... But they don't cover the surgeons going rate.

Good luck! I'll be thinking about you! 😊

Yes! Thank you for that info. I will definitely wait to all my doc about the garments. Also I'm going to Google the bear NOW! thx u for the info again. Are you doing TT or 360?

Yes. I had a few things, documentation from my bariatric surgeon, documentation from my OBGYN (sorry if TMI but my loose skin was causing irritation in my public region), documentation from my primary where I had 2 yeast infections inside my belly button due to the skin fold. I had visits spanning from about 5+ months before I decided to see a plastic surgeon.

Mine hospital bill was $68,000! Before insurance

Same here. I only lost on pre-op and the first 2 weeks after. The last 2 weeks I've lost NOTHING. So frustrating!

I'm scheduled for June 4th as well! My doctor is allowing me to do 10 days preop liquid diet instead of 14 so I'm happy about that! I'm stocking up on proteins and bariatric goodies!

Hi, I have United Health Insurance (2017) but come 2018 I believe I will have BCBS of California. I'm wondering how this will affect my approval process and if my monthly visit will have been for nothing [emoji17]. I started in July and United requires a 6 month diet so my 6 months is December. If I get approved for surgery quickly after my 6th visit, there's a SMALL chance I can do the surgery this year, which is best for deductible reasons but also highly unlikely I'll for it all in December. So most likely my surgery will be in January. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Hi. I don't want to tell my work I'm getting this surgery. It's a personal choice and I don't want in warrantless opinions. I am thinking of taking a week off but I may need more so I will probably need to tell them I'm getting a medical procedure, so they are aware I'm not just on "vacation" or something. What do you suggest?

I don't think so. I'm in California, I have worked here a year BUT we don't have 50+ employees. We have like 4 employees!

I'm also not telling my family. I brought it up to my sister months ago and she was super negative and told me "don't even think about doing that!" that was the day I decided it was no ones business. My husband, kids and best friends know and that's it. Not telling my mother in law or coworkers. I'm just going to say I had a procedure. If they press me I'll probably say it's a sensitive subject. Anyone with respect would leave it at that.

Wow!