Looks like many folks in some states may not have bariatric coverage. Much of this won't go into effect for 6 months so now is the time to git er done?

Looks like the ACO's(accountable care organizations) will have the oversight to determine medical necessity per state?

http://www.bariatricnews.net/?q=news/111009/obamacare-denying-patients-access-bariatric-surgery

Helpful info for those just now looking into the band.

Looks like many folks in some states may not have bariatric coverage. Much of this won't go into effect for 6 months so now is the time to git er done?

Looks like the ACO's(accountable care organizations) will have the oversight to determine medical necessity per state?

http://www.bariatric...riatric-surgery

This totally sucks, I think this will cause our nation to become more unhealthy. We are already an obese nation over all. I was never a proponent of ObamaCare, can't people see what similar government health care programs have done to countries like Canada? Not to mention how it will affect future health care employees like doctors. Very little incentive to be a doctor in the US now. The physician hopefuls in college are probably second guessing their choices to become a physician. I know I would. Doctors are already under too much bureaucratic stress as it is, with ObamaCare it's only going to get worse. Patient care is only going to suffer more in my opinion.

You can be assured that weight loss surgery will be one of the first things to go... My husband who is 80 cannot get treatment for his cancer should it reoccur.. the cut off age is 76... so yes there are death panels and this is supposed to be good for our Country?

Gee I'm shocked, Obamacare continues to completely screw everything up.

Please excuse me while I go wipe the sarcasm from my chin.

Doesn't it tell you something about our president when he so selfishly named a program supposedly for the people after himself. Even if it was the greatest plan around people would still hate it just cause of the name.

Hmm at least here in canada no one goes bankrupt if they get sick ! pre existing condition no problem covered! most provinces allow wls surgery but if you want it faster you can pay for it no problem ! Been diagnosed with cancer, heart disease etc. you get treated. No one will tell you you have exceeded coverage and send bills for thousands of dollars to your mail box. No one will have to make a decision on if they can afford to take their children to the hospital/Dr. If they get sick.

Our system has it's problems but I will take our system over yours any day !!!!!!!

Why is this news? Welcome to socialized medicine. You are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Next thing is doctors leaving the profession, importing foreigner doctors to fill the slots, wait lines longer than your highway, and everything deemed 'elective'.

Case in point, I currently live in Canada (socialist). I go in with severe lower back pain with a history of disc protrusion. My pain level 10/10 barely able to stand straight. Had to make an appointment for a referral because going directly to a specialist does not exist. Had to wait 2 weeks for a specialist to call my doctor to schedule an appointment which was another 2 weeks out (if you are counting..I'm a month out now). I go to the specialist and he states I can have an MRI in a year. A YEAR!!!! So I go back to the doctor for pain management. This one is worse, he gives me a 6 month supply of percocet and tells me I can adjust my own dose. Never once stipulating the min or max dosages. This is a NARCOTIC that may people overdose on or become addicted to. So I call my doc in the states, tell him I need an MRI. He books one 1 week out. I fly to the states, get it done and learn I have 3 herniated discs, one so severe it was occluding my spinal nerves. At the same time I developed bursitis and was the largest one docs have seen. So now I'm due for spinal and hip joint injections to treat the pain. I do this in Canada. Well because they have a call center who does appointments opposed to someone who is familiar w/ the procedures, I get booked for the wrong room because they need to use u/s not xray for the bursitis. They tell me I can come back in 3 weeks (their next available appointment) despite it being their error. Did I mention 10/10 pain??? can't stand straight??? OK.

And standards we pride ourselves here in the Good Ol US are obsolete there. Confidentiality is standing in a supply room with a cloth curtain pulled to discuss your personal information whilst a whole waiting room of people are lurking inches away. Yeah, real confidential and professional ey?

People think..well at least everyone has health care. Do they? Meds are not covered, elective procedures are never funded, things like physical rehab are self pay. I see insurance commericals all the time filling the gaps that the Alberta HealthCare system does not cover.

You are seeing step one of the obamacare phase. It's a living process and will be further widdled and modified and you will be the next Canadian standing in line with a number around your head..because your name is indifferent.

Sadly this was all predictable. Noone ever listens to the possibilities. They just wrap their heads around idealism like free everything for everyone. Sheer Ignorance.

Like I said we have our issues nothing is perfect. I too have had severe back issues and have not encountered the issues you have sorry ! But I will not go bankrupt because I got sick or put my family's future at risk because of it. I will take that any day. Obviously you have really good insurance and can afford it, can you say the same for all Americans I would say probably not. So why would you deny them access if they cannot afford it. And even though you are an American you will not get a bill for the services you did receive even if you were not happy with them here in canada.

Ugh..OK I typed a whole post and lost it....so now just a paraphrase...

So my question short and sweet was this...

Are the people in these states that are going to be without coverage for WLS the ones that have to rely on the Government plans for health care?

I work and pay for my health care coverage, and here in the US we have a choice. We are not forced to use the Government programs, and we can also pick and choose from the programs available should we need to.

That is the difference.

These people can choose to get a job where they are provided the type of health care they seeking, or they can choose to pick from the Government selection, and at least have some kind of health care so that the hospitals they end up in don't have to eat the cost of their care. Ultimately we are all paying for this. Hospitals go bankrupt and nurses are laid off, staff is cut down and when we need them not only are they not available, but the cost of our health care rises to off set this loss.

Obama care while it has it's flaws, also has it's merit. There should be some cost regulation on the testing and treatments that patients require. Doctors and nurses and hospital staff should be paid for their services, their experience and their education. However we should not have to pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for blood work and MRI's, chemo treatments etc.

Here is an example: The cost of stitches, 7 of them was over 3 thousand dollars. The hospital billed out my son's stitches as "surgery". Really? The resident doc, stitched him up in the ER. No plastic surgeon came to check him out. I could have done that at home for the cost of the medical kit. $10. If you factor in the cost of the hospital time and the Dr. that bill should not have exceeded $500.

OC provides patients that have a change in insurance to be covered for per-existing conditions and that is a plus, it provides my 21 year old son who is just starting to find a job and can't afford his own medical coverage the opportunity to be covered under my health plan until he can afford his own.

Yes there are regulations on the plans that are chosen by those without coverage, but they have a choice as we all do, and it takes some of the burden from the American people who now currently pay higher taxes for Welfare and Medicaid.

Empower people to work for themselves, to live their lives and to take care of themselves. Provide those who are suffering from traumatic injury and illness a respite from the high costs of care and allow them a fighting chance to recover and be able to afford to continue living.

That is a message I can stand behind.

Ugh..OK I typed a whole post and lost it....so now just a paraphrase...

So my question short and sweet was this...

Are the people in these states that are going to be without coverage for WLS the ones that have to rely on the Government plans for health care?

I work and pay for my health care coverage, and here in the US we have a choice. We are not forced to use the Government programs, and we can also pick and choose from the programs available should we need to.

That is the difference.

These people can choose to get a job where they are provided the type of health care they seeking, or they can choose to pick from the Government selection, and at least have some kind of health care so that the hospitals they end up in don't have to eat the cost of their care. Ultimately we are all paying for this. Hospitals go bankrupt and nurses are laid off, staff is cut down and when we need them not only are they not available, but the cost of our health care rises to off set this loss.

Obama care while it has it's flaws, also has it's merit. There should be some cost regulation on the testing and treatments that patients require. Doctors and nurses and hospital staff should be paid for their services, their experience and their education. However we should not have to pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for blood work and MRI's, chemo treatments etc.

Here is an example: The cost of stitches, 7 of them was over 3 thousand dollars. The hospital billed out my son's stitches as "surgery". Really? The resident doc, stitched him up in the ER. No plastic surgeon came to check him out. I could have done that at home for the cost of the medical kit. $10. If you factor in the cost of the hospital time and the Dr. that bill should not have exceeded $500.

OC provides patients that have a change in insurance to be covered for per-existing conditions and that is a plus, it provides my 21 year old son who is just starting to find a job and can't afford his own medical coverage the opportunity to be covered under my health plan until he can afford his own.

Yes there are regulations on the plans that are chosen by those without coverage, but they have a choice as we all do, and it takes some of the burden from the American people who now currently pay higher taxes for Welfare and Medicaid.

Empower people to work for themselves, to live their lives and to take care of themselves. Provide those who are suffering from traumatic injury and illness a respite from the high costs of care and allow them a fighting chance to recover and be able to afford to continue living.

That is a message I can stand behind.

No, this will actually have a trickle down effect to everyone, state medical care or not.

The reason is this- the Obamacare has a lot of rules written into it that are essentially made to phase out private health insurance entirely. On day one that Obamacare becomes mandatory, anyone who has existing health insurance and wants to keep it can and is then grandfathered into their current plan. However, if you ever leave that plan even if temporarily, you can no longer go back to it. Furthermore anyone else who's picking up insurance by your carrier can't get into that grandfathered plan. So, you can work at a company and have the same health insurance company yet very different plans.

The reason is because all health insurance will have to essentially mirror the rules that Obamacare sets into place. This is being done over time but will happen, so one day in the near future everyone's care will be pretty much identical regardless of how much your premium costs and who your carrier is. So if Obamacare says no WLS surgery is covered? Then eventually the only people who will have it are people grandfathered into their existing plans who have it.

This is one of the reasons so many health insurance companies have raised premiums the last couple years and cut coverage- because they know it's only a matter of time before they have to turn into Obamacare mirrors and a huge majority of them will be forced out of business because of it entirely.

In the coming years, you will not have a choice and nor will anyone else. Welcome to socialized medicine.

Btw, I know this because I spent months reading the entire 1000+ page bill.

Just FYI

Not surprised at all. But everyone wanted a "change" and now we are getting it. Personally I don't want any government entity making life and death decisions. Guaranteed it's only going to get worse.

In the coming years, you will not have a choice and nor will anyone else. Welcome to socialized medicine.

Btw, I know this because I spent months reading the entire 1000+ page bill.

Just FYI

Your right I can see that happening if we let it. That is why the bill has not passed, and why they keep changing and poking holes in it.

I agree it needs to be re-worked and we should not have our choices taken away for the sake of providing health care to the masses, there are better ways to accomplish this.

I don't want to see that socialized health care anymore then the next guy, the only thing I do support is the need to do something.

The system must change, and perhaps this bill for the good the bad and the ugly can be the catalyst for that.

I would not vote for it as it's written today, and most of the population of America wouldn't either.

We are on the same side.

No, this will actually have a trickle down effect to everyone, state medical care or not.

The reason is this- the Obamacare has a lot of rules written into it that are essentially made to phase out private health insurance entirely. On day one that Obamacare becomes mandatory, anyone who has existing health insurance and wants to keep it can and is then grandfathered into their current plan. However, if you ever leave that plan even if temporarily, you can no longer go back to it. Furthermore anyone else who's picking up insurance by your carrier can't get into that grandfathered plan. So, you can work at a company and have the same health insurance company yet very different plans.

The reason is because all health insurance will have to essentially mirror the rules that Obamacare sets into place. This is being done over time but will happen, so one day in the near future everyone's care will be pretty much identical regardless of how much your premium costs and who your carrier is. So if Obamacare says no WLS surgery is covered? Then eventually the only people who will have it are people grandfathered into their existing plans who have it.

This is one of the reasons so many health insurance companies have raised premiums the last couple years and cut coverage- because they know it's only a matter of time before they have to turn into Obamacare mirrors and a huge majority of them will be forced out of business because of it entirely.

In the coming years, you will not have a choice and nor will anyone else. Welcome to socialized medicine.

Btw, I know this because I spent months reading the entire 1000+ page bill.

Just FYI

OMG - you read that entire bill?? I'm impressed :-)

Too many people drinking to Kool-Aid in this country. So much for "change". With Michelle Obama's campaign to conquer obesity, and to pull sugar and all other "unhealthy" foods off the shelves (or penalize us for eating them), I'm surprised WLS surgery is one of the first things to go. More bullshit from the House.

Okay - I feel my blood pressure rising. And just when I FINALLY got off my hypertensive meds!!

Your right I can see that happening if we let it. That is why the bill has not passed, and why they keep changing and poking holes in it.

I agree it needs to be re-worked and we should not have our choices taken away for the sake of providing health care to the masses, there are better ways to accomplish this.

I don't want to see that socialized health care anymore then the next guy, the only thing I do support is the need to do something.

The system must change, and perhaps this bill for the good the bad and the ugly can be the catalyst for that.

I would not vote for it as it's written today, and most of the population of America wouldn't either.

We are on the same side.

However, he was re-elected into office for a second term. Makes the mind wander.......

You make socialized medicine sound terrible !!

I had a choice when it came to wls surgery within Alta Canada. Have Alberta health care pay for it or pay myself. A few years ago I was inline for wls surgery and the only people who could deny it or approve it were my dr. And the surgeon. Yes it was a process but at the time it was covered and still is to my knowledge. I backed out because at the time I was afraid of the potential complications and my wife was dead set against it. Biggest mistake of my life was backing out as I was only a couple of weeks out from surgery. When I made the decision to get it done this summer I opted for self pay and had it done in Ontario. Fortunately I am in the situation where I can afford it and did not want to wait. Not everyone has the financial resources I do but are still able to access the operation if required. I know of two surgeons in a local city in Alberta who do this surgery almost exclusively.