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BCBS Illinios questions HELP!!

CheriCline

By CheriCline, in Insurance & Financing

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CheriCline    0

CheriCline
Posted

:) Hi, I need help from someone. I am a 30 year old woman that weighs in at 275 pounds. I have battled my weight my whole life. Just recently did I cross over the 40 B.M.I., and need serious help. I have tried so many diets in the past Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Fit America, Slim Fast, Phentermine (prescription), counting calories, etc, etc. I have lost 30 pounds and then put it all back on and then some once I tried to eat regularly.

I have back problems now front a car accident. My doctor told me that I need back surgery, but that I should have weight loss surgery before I have back surgery. There are more risks to the back surgery since I am overweight. I have seen my primary care physician once for weight and he sent me to a nutritionist. Didn't do much good...the nutritionist just told me "what I should be eating regarding portions" I know this, but don't do it. So anyways, I have called about Lap Band surgery. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO.

BCBS's website says that I have to have a five year medically documented history of morbid obesity. I don't have this in my medical history. I have always been heavy and overweight but not this heavy. It also said that I have to see my doctor for wieght loss for a 12 month period before I can qualify. Are there any ways around this? Has anyone else ever heard of needing a 5 year history of obesity that has been medically documented?

I really need this surgery to help out with my back pain. I am so young still and find myself exhausted. I don't have kids but want to be able to one day. I need help...anyone have any advice regarding getting this procedure covered and where I should start....

Thanks, Cheri:phanvan

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LA chula27    0

LA chula27
Posted

HI Cheri,

The first thing you need to do is go to your PCP and ask for a referral to go to Lapband surgeon. You might have to go to some type of meeting before they make your 1st appt. And regarding your insurance

you should just call them and find out what the requiremets are all insurances are diferent with diferent policies. In My insurance website i found out the same thing you did and but i got approved in one day!!!!so my advise will be to call them directly and find out. And if you have been over weight and have co-morbies they might not need any of the "other junk" that they require!!! Don't let this be a set back for you! Good luck to you. And i hope this helped! keep us informed.:)

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Go To Topic Listing Insurance & Financing

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    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • KimBaxleyWilson

      KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.

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