After years of consideration I am finally ready to change my life with the gastric sleeve! I will be joining my husbands insurance plan (MVP) in January which does cover the surgery (with approval) but my current plan does not. I am scheduled to go to my first seminar on July 27th as I want to learn more from the surgeon team who would be performing mine as well as get this ball rolling!!

Has anyone had experience with this? Can I start the process now (NUT and other appointments out of pocket) and then have my new insurance cover he surgery at the new year?

Also, re: the BMI requirement. Is this based on your BMI at the beginning OR after pre-op diet requirement? In other words, if I lose 5% and that brings me just under the 40 requirement (39) would I then be disqualified?

Any insight or info on your past experiences would be so helpful.

Thank you!!

I had this happen when I had my lap band in 2012. I went through the first 6 months on one plan, could not get approval by time that plan ended, and had to do it on my new insurance. The new insurance covered it for me and used the 6 months I had already done to satisfy its requirements. I am not sure how your insurance will handle it as they are all so very different, but if it is covered, they should use your previous history to exempt you from having to do it again.

As for the BMI, it will always be before the surgery, not when you started. If you lose enough weight to get below their requirements, they will not cover you.

Thank you for the reply