More coverage soon?

[Kelkie 0]

This is a quote from a ASMBS report regarding Aetna and UHC beginning to cover the VSG. They are hopeful that other insurance carriers will follow suit soon.

"We are pleased that Aetna and United Healthcare now includes sleeve gastrectomy among its covered bariatric procedures," said John W. Baker, MD, FACS, President of ASMBS. "In the rapidly changing field of bariatric and metabolic surgery, it is important to provide coverage and access to a wide range of proven treatment methods. Sleeve gastrectomy has now reached that threshold where the data and our experience with the procedure supports its safe and effective use in people affected by the chronic disease of morbid obesity."

Here is a link to the whole report. http://asmbs.org/Newsite07/news/ASMBS-Sleeve_Gastrectomy_insurance_coverage_seo_FINAL.pdf . You may have to copy and paste it into your browser. Hopefully between this and the Bariatric Surgery conference coming up in June, we will see more people being successful with insurance coverage.

[KabinKitty 10]

This is great news! I have Atnea bc/cs and the surgeon probably won't be sending them my precertification papers till June anyway.

I found the site for the ASMBS it is just www.asmbs.org . The conference is in Los Vegas June 21-26.

They are not reporting that Anthem bc/bs has jumped on board, but I doubt it won't be long.

Jeannie

Waiting to LIVE! :biggrin0:

Edited May 2, 2010 by KabinKitty
Additional info found

[Kelkie 0]

I hope BCBS starts covering it soon. My ins. company (BCBS North Dakota) is covering it at select facilities in North Dakota, but I don't live anywhere near there. I am hoping that with the information that comes out of the conference, and ASMBS encouraging it, the VSG will be attainable to me when I am done with everything this summer.