Hey

I have Atena PPO (With the option to switch over to United in March, or BCBS is January...) okay, couple things, any opinions on which of the 3 is going to be the easiest to work with??? I really dont want to spend the next year fighting with insurance companies...what im most concerned with is my BMI...so i have 3 questions...

1. I am 5'5 245, BMI 40. But within the last 5 years ive gained circa 40LB. I mean i was still very overweight at 205-210, but i wasnt considered "morbidly obese" yet <----oy! what a term! So im very nervous that they will say i dont qualify...so if it that you need to have 40+ for 5 years? or just be very overweight?

2. The other thing, im not entirely sure if what i have is a comorbity... Ive had documented high cholesterol since 2002, i have calcifications on my adrenal glands, back problems and such, but i dont have diabetes, and as far as i know i dont have sleep apnea. I am getting a full metabolic panel done Friday, and i guess i will know more then...but what exactly are they even looking for?

3. Because i have a lower BMI, what if you lose too much weight in the 6 month diet? I can initially lose 20-30lb, but it always comes back... can they deny you because you have lost too much weight? yikes!:faint:

I have not been banded as of yet, but am researching and going through it all right now. I have BC/BS of illinois. They require tons of stuff for approval and are very hard to deal with. I do have to do the 6 month diet and they use your weight from the first visit. My surgeons office told me as far as the 5 year weight history you have to have "morbid obsity" BMI of 40 or 35 with two co-morbities. If I loose 20lbs I drop below the BMI requirement, and my I was not always as heavy during the past 5 years. I am super worried I will be denied, but I am trying really hard to get all my ducks in a row.If I had a choice I would use Aetna PPo. Bcbs is hard. Good luck on your journey! Tamara

Do what I did when we had a choice of switching insurance, call them and ask.