Ronda68

From Lisa Lampanelli to Carnie Wilson as the Ambassadors of Hope and a huge community of people just like you check out www.wlsfa.org. It's the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation. The WLSFA is a nonprofit organization powered by Weight loss surgery patients & their supporters, Bariatric Surgeons & their practices, Hospitals and Corporations. Together they raise funds and gather resources to give away in the form of Surgery Grants to people denied access to the medical treatment of obesity. They have funded 10, yes 10 grants so far since 2010!

So either I'm really dumb at all this or I'm really lucky I've never had to go through any insurance approval process.

My insurance requires a letter of necessity which I have. Now what do I do next? See a surgeon? I feel so stupid.. but I don't know where to go next.

Someone? Anyone?

Thanks! Ronda

Someone posted here recently about getting the band through his hospitals charity program.

Not sure if anyone in your area offers that but it is definitely worth looking in to.

Thanks for the info, I will check it out. I was one of 5 to win a Lapband surgery with a local radio station and bariatric doctor but it didn't happen. 600 applied so I did pretty good to get down to one of five. lol

There are "hidden" ways to gather funds together. Do you own a house? Depending on your circumstances, refinancing can turn up equity you could use, if the numbers make sense. Same with using certain credit cards, rewriting car loans, or even borrowing against a 401K. Some people have "cafeteria" insurance plans at their work where they can pay it forward to get money for surgery. Look around you - do you have anything sitting around you could sell? Old jewelry? Antiques? Collectibles? An extra insurance policy you could cash in, or borrow against? Family members you can borrow from? Take on a second job to earn the money? If you want the surgery badly enough, there are ways to scrape together funds to make it work. One, some, or all the above may help you come up with the funds.

Just a few thoughts. Good luck!

Dave

Thanks Dave, you're right, all those are ways but due to my divorce, I was left with nothing except bad credit. I am looking for a second job and have applied to several places in hopes they will work around my full time job. I plan on getting my credit fixed but not sure if once it's fixed I could get a loan for something like this. I will keep working for it, I want it more than anything. And will get it in time.

I have had my surgery in October and already paid $450 up front and $250 deposit to my surgeon.

I have to pay 2,200$ co-pay for the surgery, and a couple hundred for the anestezia.

The question is - what kind of programms are out there to be able to put all the bills together and have one summ payment every month that you can afford? I do not want to pay too much to be able to do that too. I can pay some accounts in full as they come and pay some portions of the other accounts over time.

I need some ideas and names. I am not sure what the rules of this website is but if you don't think that you can post it here just try and write a private message to me. ( I am not sure how I set it - it may be available only to my friends )

So, I am trying not to get ovewhelmed with all these piling bills after my surgery or have someone come to my job to serve me with a lawsuit that I didn't pay my bill in time ( I hear of stories like that )

Is there a website where you can set up all of you current accounts and pay all of them from that one website - but I cannot pay all the bills at once - I want to be able to pay whenever I get money ( usually it happens every two weeks ) but anyway - I just don't want a program where they automatically take money out of your account to pay your bills, I want to be able to choose when to pay what.

Are there services like that available to public? I would love to have your input. That would definetely make my life easier.

Thank you!

I was told by my PCP for other medical bills that as long as I pay something, they can't sue you. As long as you're making an effort to pay they are happy with that. Hope this helps.

I have been a registered member of this site for quite some time but never introduced myself. I am more of the sit in the back, quiet, out of site, out of mind kind of girl. I used to not be when I was thinner.

Anyway, I am at my wits end with trying to find the funds to get WLS. My insurance doesn't cover any form of WLS and it's not in the budget for me to finance it. I want the Lapband, I've seen thousands of people who have been successful in WLS and I think the Lapband is best for me.

I am 42 years old, live in KC, MO. I have one son that I've raised on my own, he's now 21.

MSNBC had a segment on popular websites and one was www.myfreeimplants.com. Seriously? I guess it's all real, I haven't checked it out as I don't need implants, well, don't need implants until I can find a way for WLS then I am sure once my weight goes, so will my DD's. Can't imagine what the girls/ladies or whatever do to get their donations

So it's that time of year where we get poked a lil harder for that weekly insurance premium because our insurance blows and we have to pay more and more each year.

My question is, does anyone know of an individual plan with any insurance company that covers lapband. Sad to say, that is my goal to find an Insurance company that covers it and then I can drop my insurance at work! $62.00 a week for insurance is a little steep for not covering weight loss and after months of emailing back and forth to see if they would add the policy, they say no because it will cause our premiums to go higher....HELLOOOO!?!?

Any guidance in the direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you! Ronda

Anyone know if General Motors insurance out of the Kansas City plant covers the Lapband?

Hello Ladies,

Amazing that I found some information that I pray will help you two.

Check out the link I posted for the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America, they grant surgeries to people who can not afford to have weight loss surgery. Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America | Tipping the scales in the right direction.. I was watching BandedWendy's video on youtube and she mentioned it at around the 8 minute mark of her video. Check it out and good luck: YouTube - bandedwendy's Channel

THANK YOU! For the information, I signed up as a member on the site but as of right now, they aren't taking applications, looks like they are a pretty new organization but I am looking forward to their success!

Have any of you thought about CareCredit (I didn't qualify because of bad credit or boring money against you retirement 401K or 403B?

Yes, besides my credit not being good even if I did have good credit, putting my son through college and attending college myself, there's no way I could afford to make a payment, I have a hard enough time surviving as it is.

I think I was just having a really bad day when I started this thread but, I still don't have insurance that covers it. I think the 3 us should ralley outside Oprah and see if she'll do a show about obesity and the LAP-BAND® and let us be filmed before, during and after the surgery :smile:.

It's my dream, let me tell it!! haha!

Maybe someday we will get it, I am still trying to figure out a way, if I find out anything, I will post and let everyone know. I think insurance companies should allow people to buy a rider to attach to their insurance to help cover this or some other procedure that they don't normally cover. But, I called and they said they don't offer such a thing.

My BFF is 300lbs, 5'5", has had back and knee surgery, has diabetes, and everything else! She needs LBS!!! I had it last year and she just has ins issues! Finally her ins will pay $20,000! But we can't find anyone close that will do it for that!!

She has bc/bs. We live in Colorado. Can anyone help with any advise or where ins would cover at that price???????? She cannot afford self pay.

She is lucky, my Insurance doesn't pay for it at all. She can go to Lap Band Surgery in Denver Colorado | Lap Band Surgeon in Denver | Gastric Band Surgery Denver | Bariatric Surgery. They are in Aurora (I believe) and the cost is only $9,950.00.

Hope this helps, I am still searching to get the surgery.

And I have been a single Mom without emotional, physical and financial support for 20 of my sons 21 years of life so with trying to put him through college, there's no way possible I can afford the Lapband surgery and my credit sucks! I was one of 600 applicants to win the surgery through a local radio station then I was one of 100 then one of 5...but didn't win...I was so close and thought of how I was going to live my life with the Lapband only to be heartborken once again. I say again because my Ex and I were going to get married next month and his insurance covers the surgery 100%, I was going to get it after we got married, went through the 3 hour seminar and have been to probably 6 support group meetings. I don't know what to do...I'd even go to Mexico but still can't afford the $5,000.

Anyone have any suggestions?:thumbup: I am seriously desperate for this surgery...:thumbup:

Thanks!

A friend of mine is having the same problems. She has found that in the morning, her band feels really tight and if she drinks a cup of coffee or something warm, it tends to loosen it up and she can usually eat normal by lunch.< /p>

Ok, I am in the process of going thru all that you have to go thru to get the band. I mentioned in the office that I had a seminar to go to, I was asked "why?". I told them and of course there's one out of 4 who said, "I don't know why you are doing this, you aren't that heavy (I'm 5'4" and 240), have you tried going on a diet, curbing your food choices and excersizing?". Seriously...she just said that?!? I am 42 years old, my son is 21...I have been at this weight for 21 years. I said to her...One, we have only been working together for almost 2 years, therefore, you have no idea what kind of dieting I've done. Then I asked her if she's ever been over weight. She said well, I've always had to watch what I eat so I don't gain the weight. Then I said ...well, you have no idea how hard it is to get this weight off.

I could have went the route of her not having any kids (she's almost 39, single, never been married and no kids) which helps her weight issues because I gained 70 lbs when I was pregnant with my son. Not to mention her parents aren't overweight and both of mine are.

I was so mad that day, I could have said a lot of mean things to her about her and her life from what I have seen in the 2 years but I didn't, I bit my tongue and stopped at what I said.

My question is, how do you basically tell a skinny bia bia to ...... off without actually saying it?? (sorry for the almost cussing but I am mad!)

Thanks!:tongue_smilie:

I am self-employed and I have an individual PPO with BCBS of Illinois. Lap-Band® IS covered on my plan, and I am attending my seminar tonight.

I am not sure what my out of pocket coverage will be (some people have had almost 100% coverage) but I do know that I am going to an in-network Dr. and hospital, so I am expecting no more than 20% plus my deductible. I do plan to ask about fill coverage specifically, as I am not sure if those are included or not.

Hope this helps,

kagead

Good luck to you, I have looked online at the different BCBS of Kansas City and seen most plans do not cover the Lapband but I think I am going to contact them and see if maybe I am missing something. I pay $144.00 a month for my health insurance through my work. I would be willing to drop that and pay more for health insurance that covers the Lapband.

Right, I understand the difference between the pap smear and the lapband tests and etc.... I'm just using that as an example as to why they can pay for that that will prevent cancer but they can't pay for the lapband that will prevet certain cancers and other things. I guess I'm just frusterated about it and am at a dead end. I did talk to my boss who's also a very good friend and she said our company is up for new insurance in February and she said WE will talk to them about either adding or giving an employee the option to add ot thiers if possible such as a rider. I am finding that there aren't any individual policies that cover WLS so I'm going to see what happens in February.

Thanks for your input!

I am in tears, I found out that my insurance does not cover any form of weight loss. I don't understand how they will pay for a pap smear to prevent cervical cancer or mammogram for breast cancer but they won't cover Lapband or gastric bypass to help with cancers and numerous other things.

Does anyone know if there is an insurance company that offers health insurance with bariatic that you can buy as an individual plan? I am in search of dumping my current health insurance I get through work to get this done.

I started Weight Watchers and I am starving, it sucks!

Please help with any information on an individual plan.

Thanks

:thumbdown:Just got a call from the doctor and my policy with United does not carry any form of weight loss just as I suspected. Off to Weight Watchers I go!

I am sure by the time I may or may not need a letter, this thread will be long and this post will be lost so will you please send me that letter just in case i need it? My email is kc.ronda@yahoo.com. Thanks for your help, I got to thinking, I did visit my OB/GYN once a year so I can get the info there.

Did you have to have 5 years of doctors records that you were overweight? If so, I may have a problem, I've been pretty healthy the past 41 years (other than being obese)and until recently haven't been to the doctor all that much therefore, don't think I can come up with 5 years in a row of my weight being what it is today. Might be able to come up with a doctors visit once a year...does that count? lol

I am going with Dr. Malley at New Hope and when I went there for my seminar on Saturday the 7th, I gave them my insurance info and was supposed to schedule an appointment but didn't because of what my insurance said the week before. But Dr.Malleys office is checking on it anyway and said to make an appointment and if you are approved they will not call but if you aren't approved, they will call you so I had no way of knowing if I was approved so I called them today and said screw it and scheduled my appointment in hopes that I don't see "Dr. Malley" on my caller I.D. So my appointment is set for November 18th unless I get a call from them so wish me luck!

Thanks Chris, I will keep working on it. I did call my insurance company and gave them just the code where as before, I asked if they covered the Lapband. He didn't tell me no...he transfered me to someone else and she said she can't tell me yes or no because I have to meet the requirements. To me, sounds like they will cover it if I meet the requirements. She also said to have the Dr. call. Right now, I am just waiting on a call from the Dr. telling me yay or nay, it's been since Saturday that I gave my Dr. my insurance information, I am crossing all that can be crossed! I do have sleep apnea, acid reflux, leg pain/swelling. If I am correct 2 of those are comorbities (sp?) so I might stand a chance but not going to get my hopes up...although it's kinda too late! haha!:biggrin:

I have United and my policy does not cover lapband or any form of weight loss. Guess I need to keep trying to get this weight off. :thumbup: