If You Had To Gain Weight to Get Lap-Band Covered By Insurance...?

[wanttofeelbette 0]

wow some great ideas... I acutally have been eating what ever i want when ever i want since i made the decission to get the band. I have my appointment with my doc on May 2nd.

[Mimilou2004 13]

If you were told that if your insurance would cover Lap-Band surgery if you were a little bit heavier, would you gain weight in order to get the surgery covered? If so, how much would you consider gaining?

I did it!!! I gained 10 pounds before my appt!!!!! I wasn't sure how tall I would be measured and for the first time in my life wanted to be shorter!!!!

Now I am stuck with 5 of those 10 pounds. But the extra goodies sure tasted good.

Mimi

[Frustrated 1]

I did it!!! I gained 10 pounds before my appt!!!!! I wasn't sure how tall I would be measured and for the first time in my life wanted to be shorter!!!!

Now I am stuck with 5 of those 10 pounds. But the extra goodies sure tasted good.

Mimi

:thumbup: Congrats Mimi. I know it seems crazy that in order to lose weight you first have to gain weight to appease the insurance gods. :wink2: Believe me I know. I had that discussion on the phone with an insurance agent. I battled with them for about 6 months, which wasn't really that long compared to some other people, but I/they finally came through and 13 months ago I had my lifeband installed.

If I had to go through this all again from the beginning, I'd do it in a heartbeat. It's been the best thing that's ever happened to me. A little (sometimes a lot) tougher than I expected, but well worth the blood, sweat and tears that's gotten me to where I am today. Happier and healthier than I've ever been. :biggrin2:

[Mimilou2004 13]

Thanks, Ruby-just waiting for the scheduler to call tomorrow, I LOVE this thread, I never saw it before. I sure felt like a member when I started reading!!! Nice to know I wasn't alone. Thank you for your encouraging story.

[HeatherO 7]

Slumping really helps :0)

[savannahsmommie 0]

I stuffed 4lbs of BB's in each cup of my bra and put two pound ankle weights on each ankle! And I made my weigh in with 3 pounds to spare!

[pennreporter 12]

I did. I was 15 lbs shy of being within my ins. co's requirements. My primary care doctor even told me to put rolls of quarters in my pockets if I had to. He was very supportive. What is really bizarre though is that once I met the weight requirements, they then required me to lose 10 percent of my total body weight as part of their six-month schedule of visits/testing protocol. So then I ended up almost where i started...go figure. And then on my sixth-month appointment when I had lost my ten percent, the doctor told me to be sure not to gain or lose any before I met with surgeon...craziness. Surgery is June 1. So it was all worth it. Although in hindsight, if I had to do it all over again, I would have just taken the cash and went to Houston where it's cheaper and the surgery is done much much more down there than here in my area.

Trisha in da Poconos

Edited May 9, 2009 by pennreporter
typo

[talkalot1981 5]

I actually had to gain 7 lbs because my insurance only goes for the 100 lbs over. they don't care about your BMI. I am not banded yet, so hopefully I didn't gain for nothing. Hopefully I get approved!!!!

[azairforcewife 1]

Ankle weights really do work then tel them you have to go to the bathroom!! 10pds instently!

[corinne211 0]

wear cargo pants with rolls of quarters in them

[pennreporter 12]

I had to gain 10 lbs and I really needed to do it because then as part of insurance I had to lose 10 percent and I don't know if I could have done the math as to how many quarters to remove as I went along the 6-month path...:tongue2: Math is not my strong forte...so I just ate and ate and ate and then you know how usually if you have a temporary weight gain, it's easy to lose...NOT this time. I really then had to struggle to get it back off.

Had I been independently wealthy, I would have taken my 13k down to Houston to my daughter's doctor and not worried about the 6-month plan, but I also felt like I needed the follow-up care because of comorbidities..So, yes, it's a slippery slope the insurance companies have you on.

Trisha

[AnastaysaMarie 0]

My insurance denied me because I was 4 pounds under the "100lbs or over" mark. So, I drank a LOT of Water, ate a huge lunch, and slipped a 3 lb weight :smile: in my pocket. Four pounds is not a lot of weight to gain, I would say if it was more than 20 lbs I would not be able to do it.

[ConB113 0]

O.k. everybody, this thread cracked me up but I can sure see where you're coming from. I am going to be self-pay, 15 lbs. to lite so I have really been putting this off because of the money thing. Where do you get these body weights at and what exactly do they look like? Sounds like a good idea to me!

[Band_Groupie 3]

For a laugh/advice...Read my blog from my first weigh in (on LBT) HERE.

[Apples2 19]

For a laugh/advice...Read my blog from my first weigh in (on LBT) HERE.

OMG...your blog page was sooooo hilarious. I, too, had lost some weight b/4 intitial visit (13lbs) and was so wishing I hadn't. I had to be BMI of 40 with comorbidities to qualify for ins. coverage for WLS. Lots of Water on the way to appt and stuffed my face for 2 weeks b/4 for a amazingly small weight gain of just 1/2lb. The nurse let me "scrunch" a couple of inches when measuring my height. Love that girl!:thumbup: