Hello: My name is Bud. I live near Springfield, MO. For health reasons my Dr recommends that I have a lap band procedure but my insurance is Medicare and I cannot find Dr/facility that will accept medicare insurance for this procedure. Does anyone on here have any idea who I might contact who will accept Medicare?

:help:

Thanks in advance

Bud

hope it goes well for you

ask all the questions that you can think of

had mine done 12/19/07 and am now learning things i wish i had asked about

am losing though so its not all bad

Hoss: What kinds of things do you mean?

When I was banded, I was 286 pounds----I was taking 2 meds for high blood pressure (Lotensin, and HCTZ), one for high blood sugar (Metformin),and one for high cholesterol (drawing a blank on the name!) I continued with the HCTZ which is a diuretic for about a month, and have not taken anything prescription for any of the above since!

I would still like to get my cholesterol a bit lower, it is still in the 150 range---way down from mid to high 200's though! My blood sugar has remained steady and in the normal range, my highest reading since losing the first 50 pounds has been 117!

My blood pressure has remained steady and normal now for well over a year. I had been on meds for it for close to 10 years! Now I average 120/65---my Dr. is totally thrilled with the changes!

I do exercise now---nothing terribly extreme, and winter has made it more difficult, but I go to Curves, and I have an elliptical trainer----it has made a huge difference in my health.

I felt old before, now I feel like life has returned and the possibilities and the things I can do are so numerous it is mind boggling!!

There are issues, with banding---if you are a fast eater, it sometimes takes a few painful PB's to learn to slow down. The hair loss really hit me hard! But it is growing back fast and furious, and healthier by far than it was before....and not everyone has that happen.

I love my band, and hope all goes well for you bud, to get yours soon---it will make getting the weight off and keeping it off a whole new ballgame!

Welcome to LBT!!

Kat

Hi KTBEE! I am also getting mine done on the 29th. I am live in Boise, ID. I'm the director of a critical care unit. After careful investigation, I think this is the way for me to go. I am 5'5" and weighed 232 today. I am so excited and hopeful. CandyCane

Kat: Thanks for the kind words and may I say WOW over 3200 posts. Ever been called chattykat?? LOL

I know what you mean about the meds my med cabinet would make a small pharmacy proud. Sheez I have a lot of meds. Several are for RA but there are some I would like to be rid of. The two BP meds (Lisinopril and HCTZ), the cholesterol med (Zocor) and the 3 asthma meds would be a good start.

Hey Candycane!! We will be band buddies since we are getting it done the same day. That will be nice to compare how we are feeling and losing and what not.

Bud, It isn't so much which hosp will accept medicare, it is what hosp. medicare will pay. The hosp has to be a "CENTER OF EXCELENCE"

That's an accreditation they get for standards they meet in a field (in this case, bariatric surgery. Medicare will only pay for surgery at hosp with that accredidation. Obviously I can't spell!!! But I tried.

Bud,

The U of Mo, Bariatric Services now has its Centers of Excellence accredidation(sp?). sfeiner is right, some insurances won't consider anything but Centers of Excellence.

Finding a so called 'center of excellence' has been the problem for me. Most of the weight loss centers are not 'centers of excellence' therefore medicare will not pay. Medicare claims their doing so is in my best interest to protect that the people doing the surgeries are competent.... personally I think it is because they want centers that will do the surgery on the cheap.

I think the centers of exellence has to do with mortality rate too. At my last group meeting, they told us that they had it now and that you can't get that if your patients are dying in or out of the hospital. I dont mean to sound morbid, but we went over all the complications and the reason people have them, etc...some jokingly referred to it as "the death talk".

Somedays, just getting out of bed and going to work can be risky. LOL

The cost that some of the people on the board were a lot lower than the UofMO. It would be interesting to know what they have to do to qualify as a centers of excellence. Might have to research that :noidea:.

There may be some truth to the mortality thing but it seems funny that some of the oldest and most established clinics are not approved. You may be right research might be a good thing.