I just found out that my employer has extra requirements that require hypertention and or diabetes to get approved for lapband. The 2 HAVE to be uncontrolled meaning you have to be taking meds for the diseases AND they have to be NOT working!!! Those are my employers rules! My case handler I talked to at the doctor’s office talked to united healthcare and she said if my job didnt have those extra requirements I would've already been approved because my BMI is so high She told me to call HR and benefits and see if they can exclude me from the extra criteria because my BMI is so high. I can’t believe this crap! Also she said whatever we do, don't cancel the UHC insurance. It's supposedly the most bariatric friendly insurance. She said if we cancel and try to go individual using ANY insurance company, I will get denied because my health is so bad. If there is a slim chance of getting approved with any other insurance our premiums would be so high it wouldnt be worth it. My only hope is getting those requirements overturned with my job and or getting another job with UHC as their insurance that doesn’t have those extra stupid requirements. Just thought I’d share….I'm beyond FLAMING P*****!!!!

Edited March 25, 200818 yr by Kimmie K

Kimmie K..I feel for you....My plan stipulated that you had to be employed for 5 years to be eligable! So, choose carefully...and look at the policy exclusions...

If you work for a large company, employer-enforced exlusions are pretty firm. If you work for a smaller company, and could "rally" enough others who would be interested, and petition the employer from the perspective that there are a lot of us and numbers matter, then maybe you'd be able to make some headway. But employers care about bottom lines and ROI so you'd need to be prepared to back up your request with numbers. However, since you are a contractor on part-time (annual) basis, I'm guessing you work for a mid-large employer.

Do they offer other plans you could choose from, perhaps one that doesn't have an exclusion, and then switch over during open enrollment?

I contract at Microsoft as part of a project team for Xbox, but unfortunately it's not Microsoft that's providing my insurance. If they were, we SO wouldn't be having this conversation, lmao! The company that actually pays me is pretty huge. Our contractors make up about 75% of Microsoft's employees in the U.S.. So, your point earlier makes sense. My actual plan is to prepare myself on break enough to get hired at Microsoft permanently and have the best insurance plan I've ever seen...finger's crossed....

My employer offers 2 UHC plans. Both with the same "exclusions" or whatever. Our open enrollment is April, but so is the end of my contract...so it really doent matter if I cancel or not. I'll just be saving myself..get this...$600/mo for my last month employed there! I guess it's all the principle behind it.

I contract at Microsoft as part of a project team for Xbox, but unfortunately it's not Microsoft that's providing my insurance. If they were, we SO wouldn't be having this conversation, lmao! The company that actually pays me is pretty huge. Our contractors make up about 75% of Microsoft's employees in the U.S.. So, your point earlier makes sense. My actual plan is to prepare myself on break enough to get hired at Microsoft permanently and have the best insurance plan I've ever seen...finger's crossed....

My employer offers 2 UHC plans. Both with the same "exclusions" or whatever. Our open enrollment is April, but so is the end of my contract...so it really doent matter if I cancel or not. I'll just be saving myself..get this...$600/mo for my last month employed there! I guess it's all the principle behind it.

Ok...that is just not fair! However, I know you will find a way to work this out...and we are here for you...

Some states offer a health plan directly when your income is in certain ranges, maybe Texas offers that.

You mention you are a contract employer, so try Freelancers Union :: Platform for an Independent Workforce, you can get independent insurance through them.

Sweet! Thanks, Chrisann! I'll definitely check that out too :sneaky: