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I have the lapband. My band is no good so I’m going to get the sleeve. My doctors office calls my insurance and my insurance tells them all the requirements to have the revision to the sleeve. I go through 6 months of insurance requirements and now we submitted it to insurance and they are saying it’s not covered through my insurance plan. My doctors office has the codes and requirements they said I needed and now in my plan it says it’s not covered! I’m furious! Why did they give the codes and requirements and also cover the 6 months of requirements if it’s not covered! We are appealing it. Then if that doesn’t work I’m going to talk to a lawyer about what to do if they deny it again. Anyone have any advice? I just can’t believe they would say it’s covered and make me jump through hoops then say it’s not part of my plan! Ugh!

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Bummer!! Good luck.

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Lindstrom obesity advocacy is a law firm that works with clients who have been denied. I haven't used them, but have read great things.

Sent from my XT1254 using BariatricPal mobile app

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I have the lapband. My band is no good so I’m going to get the sleeve. My doctors office calls my insurance and my insurance tells them all the requirements to have the revision to the sleeve. I go through 6 months of insurance requirements and now we submitted it to insurance and they are saying it’s not covered through my insurance plan. My doctors office has the codes and requirements they said I needed and now in my plan it says it’s not covered! I’m furious! Why did they give the codes and requirements and also cover the 6 months of requirements if it’s not covered! We are appealing it. Then if that doesn’t work I’m going to talk to a lawyer about what to do if they deny it again. Anyone have any advice? I just can’t believe they would say it’s covered and make me jump through hoops then say it’s not part of my plan! Ugh!


That happened to me twice in the last 4 years. Months of my time wasted and major expenses for my co pays, plus all the time I missed from work for all the appointments.

Each time it happened, I switched insurance during open enrollment at work and started all over again with a brand new doctor. Third time was a charm. Found a doctor who knew how to advocate for me and got everything approved and my surgery will be Nov 1, 2017.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using BariatricPal mobile app

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On 10/11/2017 at 0:49 PM, ChristineZ said:

not covered through my insurance plan.

what a mess!! you went through all requirements

then they turn around and say NO!!:angry:

IMO - best thing to do is appeal, appeal and appeal!! know from

the board that some OP have fought hard for a win.

some OP have appealed up to 3 times!! finally won!!

please do not give up. (that's what insurance wants you to do

put your fighting gloves on and knock them out til they hurt!!

you pay for insurance - and then they say NO!!!!:angry:

they just don't want to pay YOU, after you pay them.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY makes the world go around!!

don't give up!!

good luck - kathy

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On 10/11/2017 at 0:49 PM, ChristineZ said:

I have the lapband. My band is no good so I’m going to get the sleeve. My doctors office calls my insurance and my insurance tells them all the requirements to have the revision to the sleeve. I go through 6 months of insurance requirements and now we submitted it to insurance and they are saying it’s not covered through my insurance plan. My doctors office has the codes and requirements they said I needed and now in my plan it says it’s not covered! I’m furious! Why did they give the codes and requirements and also cover the 6 months of requirements if it’s not covered! We are appealing it. Then if that doesn’t work I’m going to talk to a lawyer about what to do if they deny it again. Anyone have any advice? I just can’t believe they would say it’s covered and make me jump through hoops then say it’s not part of my plan! Ugh!

I am an appeals specialist for an insurance company. The best thing that you can do or ask your Dr to do is 1st and 2nd level appeal, also ask for a peer to peer review (Dr will know what that is). See if you can get a copy of the policy and read with a fine tooth comb the exclusion and the reason for denial. If all else fails you can go to the Dept of Ins for the state you live in.......Also I am more than happy to help you out if you have questions or need help understanding the insurance lingo, its kind of what I do.

Best of luck!!!!

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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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      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • 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.

        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

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