I was told Highmark BCBS has been covering gastric banding for the last month.

But yet once again TODAY I have been denied.They will cover Gastric Banding now But not Lapband what is gasticbanding if not Lapband.They say it is not FDA approved.My doctor said yes it is.I have Plenty of co morbitities.

I have had six months of doctor supervised nutrion counseling and a mental evaluation for GAStic Bypass. I dont want GAStric Bypass.

Thank's for letting me VENT.:angry

Ladysplenda

BCBS is evil... I called before I started all the testing and pre-work to be sure that my company does not have an exclusion - and they said no, no exclusion.

Great. So I did all the tests and put together my file and the coordinator at AIGB called and was told that there IS an exclusion on my company policy.

Right now, I am waiting for my HR person to get a definitive answer, since we can't get the same answer two times in a row by calling...

GRRRRRRR. I'm venting with you, Sister!

THEY ALSO SAY THAT IT IS NOT FDA APPROVED. IM FIGHTING THEM TOOTH AND NAIL. GASTRIC BANDING AND LAPBAND ARE THE SAME THING. THEY SAID THEY STARTED COVERING GASTRIC BANDING LAST MONTH. IS THERE ONE:angry I DONT KNOW ABOUT. NO ONE DOES A SIMPLE BAND ANYMORE.

LADYSPLENDA

Gastric banding is the same thing as the lap band. Go to Inamed.com and pull info from there on the FDA trials. I've also heard good things about them helping people who are being denied by insurance because it's "Not FDA Approved" or "Experimental"

Good luck!

I was approved by Highmark BCBS and they have paid everything 100%. My husband works for the railroad and we have insurance through the UTU (united transpotration union). I was given the same run around, the gastric banding they are telling you they approve is the vertical banded gastroplasty and it is not being done anymore. I appealed and appealed and was denied 3 times. It was going to an outside company and my husbands employer stepped in and I was approved. I was told that when I was approved they were changing the way they viewed the Lapband and it was going to be considered for coverage on a case by case basis, that was June 30th. I am not sure if the system has been updated but it may be worth appealing and going to the outside company or contacting www.obesitylaw.com Walter and Kelly are really great people and were very helpful even though I was too far along in the process for them to help me with appeals, they gave me some great advice and wished me luck. I am willing to help anyway I can feel free to PM me with any questions you may have. ~Mandy

Thanks everyone Im getting very motivated.

ladysplenda:Bunny

Some one on here I am sure has the contact name of the person at Inamed that can help you with those issues saying it isnt FDA approved etc. It was done so in 2001 here in the USA....

Or go to their website and contact them....... For some reason I am drawing a blank on his name......

www.lapband.com

Good luck!

The contact person at Inamed is Don Mills his number is 800-624-4261 ext 4546 ~Mandy