I am interested in having the gastric sleeve done. I was wondering if anyone has/had Blue cross of Illinois. If so what was required and did you get approved for surgery? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hi!

Sorry that I don't have any info on BCBS but wanted to say hello.

I have Cigna and the process was pretty straightforward. 3 months supervised diet with my PCP, 2 support group meetings, 2 nutritionist appointments, psych eval, cardiac clearance, and upper GI were my requirements. Along with the supervised weight loss, insurance required a BMI of 40 or higher, or 35 with one or more comorbidities. The other requirements were those of my bariatric surgeon. The program offers unbelievable education and support.

My sleeve surgery is 10/23 and I will start my week long liquid diet on Monday.

Wishing you the best of luck as you go on this journey.

Log into your insurance portal online and ask. They can send you the specifics on your policy.

Hi!
Sorry that I don't have any info on BCBS but wanted to say hello. [emoji4]
I have Cigna and the process was pretty straightforward. 3 months supervised diet with my PCP, 2 support group meetings, 2 nutritionist appointments, psych eval, cardiac clearance, and upper GI were my requirements. Along with the supervised weight loss, insurance required a BMI of 40 or higher, or 35 with one or more comorbidities. The other requirements were those of my bariatric surgeon. The program offers unbelievable education and support.
My sleeve surgery is 10/23 and I will start my week long liquid diet on Monday.
Wishing you the best of luck as you go on this journey.

Thank you. Was there a requirement on how long your BMI had to be over 40?

I also have BCBS of Ill. I was approved. My BMI was just over 35 and I have several co-morbidities, including sleep apnea and have had a heart attack.

Requirements were one appointment with Dietitian, session with Surgeon, and psych evaluation. I believe this varies company by company (or by your group) so you'll want to talk to the insurance company directly to find out specifically what applies to your plan.

Once everything was submitted, the approval came in just a few days.

Good luck!