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I have Anthem BCBS (which has different requirements than standard BCBS).

Current BMI is 40.5... Just barely above the threshold for approval. I'm not required to have 6 months of physician monitored diet. I have all of my paperwork to submit for approval next week.

Trouble is, my weight has teetered in the range of 35-39 BMI for the last several years. I'm at my highest weight now, at a BMI of almost 41.

Has anyone gotten rejected by Anthem because their medical records did not show a history of 40+ BMI for a long period of time?

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They used my current BMI to determine eligibility.

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Mine was 36 but I had co-morbids. Do you have other issues like diabetes, arthritis?

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I was just approved today!! Bcbs anthem i waited 10days for answer bmi 40....i am band revision to sleeve

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I have a band And iM hoping my insurance will cover a band to sleeve revison. I have anthem BSBC's nh

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I have BCBS, they approved me 1st letter. My bmi was 40, I had sleep apnea, and high bp. Not anymore !

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i have anthem bcbs they approved me very quickly..BMI is 40...

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Mine was under 40, but I had co-morbidities. They approved it quickly - first letter.

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I have Anthem BCBS, and I got denied for a revision, they said I am allowed one bariatric surgery per lifetime. They did not pay for my Lap Band, so I dont understand. I am gonna go talk to my Dr today he is supposed to do Peer to Peer review, I need this lap band removed, it has severely eroded and I vomit daily. I cant live like this anymore. I have severe apnea as well. Wish me luck!!!

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It's funny how the same insurance can be so different, I have bcbs of ca, when I log in it says anthem so I'm assuming I have anthem bcbs, I had to do the 6 months nutritional classes, and if I'm not successful with band, they will cover a revision in 2 years from surgery date.

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I have Anthem BCBS. My problem is that my bariatric coverage has a $10,000 lifetime max. My dr said bypass and the sleeve would cost me $50,000 and up out of pocket with my $10,000 max. My only option is the band. My dr very graciously gave me the cash self pay price which is drastically lower than the insurance price. Then he will bill my insurance leaving me very little out of pocket. That's the plan anyway. We will see how it works out. Your bariatric coverage doesn't depend on anthem it depends on what restrictions your employer put on bariatric surgery when they devised your insurance plan. I have a friend who has my exact insurance with a different employer and she was covered 100% and no lifetime max.

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I have Anthem BSBS and know it is covered, the head of HR had it done I was told and I confrmed it is covered. What I am trying to confirm is the 6 month wait. I don't mind waiting if the doctor thinks I need to but 6 months puts me past next year and then my 2015 deductible won't count (I have the high deductible plan)

Trying to see where I can find out for sure (they have not been helpful over the phone) and or if it can be waived or at least reduced.

any advice or help on this?

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
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    • 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

        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.

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

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      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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