:pout:

Got a letter back saying that my insurance will not cover the procedure due to plan "exclusion" of weightloss surgery.

No way I can afford to finance it so I may as well give up. Or, at least, it's not something I can do in the near future.

Read your insurance exclusion carefully -- my surgery was also excluded. if there is the phrase medically necessary or something that says subject to peer review -- they will make you jump through hoops but that is the key phrase.

I jumped for 2 years back and forth with the insurance company. I had my surgery on November 29th, 2006. They deny to see if you are willing to fight. Fight dirty just like them -- I went to my HR and let them know I had complied with all the guidelines for the surgery and it was medically necessary. The company you work for is the responsible for the exclusion - they can ask the insurance company to pay for the surgery. Don't give up hope -- get smart and mean.

My insurance (Tricare) excludes the LapBand. I hear that they might start to approve it this year, keyword MIGHT. My dh's part time job at Home Depot has insurance that excludes the LapBand (even though someone mentioned that theirs paid).

I am going to Mexico too. My procedure will cost $7000.00 and I used flier miles for my airfare. No delays, no red tape, no jumping through hoops. I like that. This is going to sound opinionated, but oh well. My honest feeling is why support surgeons in the U.S. when their fees are over-the-top and they are nonsupportive of the Mexican doctors who train them? If their fees were reasonable or they offered a cash discount, I'd stay here. I just don't want the hassle of fighting with insurance. My out-of-pocket cost will be tax deductible and we need the deduction.

The best of luck to you on your journey.

I will probably have to self-pay, but I keep the deduction in mind. Once you have hit the amount required for the deduction, all of your medical expenses can be written off that year.