Hi-

I am 25 years old from North Louisiana (Shreveport-Bossier area) I am having lap-band surgery in 2006 but our insurance doesn't cover the surgery. Blue Cross Blue sheild of Lousiana is our current insurance, but weight reduction is excluded. I have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) angina, lower back pain, high blood pressure and asthma. Because of PCOS my husband and I are unable to have children. Lap-band is our only hope. If there is anyone who can give is just a little bit of information please send us a reply or drop us an e-mail: queenbuttafly@yahoo.com

I pray that there is someone who can give us some information to help us. Thanks.

"With God nothing is impossible"

Christina,

I think we let this misunderstanding go away last week. No need to quote and post and drudge it up again.

Thanks.

I was just stating my thoughts just like you - I have been off the boards for weeks now & only had minimal access & for very short periods of time. I didn't read through all the posts & didn't know it was a misunderstanding.

Sorry if you felt I was druging up stuff.

thanks

I was in the same predicament, hoping one of my insurance companies would cover the band. I felt double cheated since I have two insurance plans (Blue Cross through my work and HPN through my husband’s.) So I started researching other insurance options to see what companies covered it.

But in the middle of the insurance battle, I just stood up and yelled, “Fu** INSURANCE!” I was miserable being alive at 315 pounds taking one med to regulate my blood pressure, another for my anxiety, another for my insomnia, and using a breathing machine to keep me alive at night. I wanted to die in my sleep.

My life was a tad more valuable than any stupid insurance company, so I did anything and everything to pay for my own damn band. I stopped getting manicures, let my roots grow out, permanently turned the air conditioning down, got a 2nd crappy job, cancelled the lawn guy and the Water delivery, and got a small 2nd mortgage. If I can do it, anyone can.

I can see both sides of the story here, but I honestly can't imagine finding an insurance company specifically to get one particular medical treatment. That’s just not how insurance works. If I were an insurance agent and someone called me specifically to buy my insurance just because they wanted a band, I would either turn them down or charge a huge premium or put restrictions, like “no band for 5 years.” I’m not trying to be mean, but I don’t think any insurance company would accept that kind of deal.

If you really, really, really want this surgery, you'll find a way. Just don't give up. You never know what will happen tomorrow. Heck, maybe even your current insurance will switch to the band since so many others are. Good luck.

Sorry I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. I called the advertisement on the screen here in our area and they told me that because of the health complications that I have that Blue Cross Blue Sheild has to pay for the procedure and she also told me that thousands of patients in our area, BCBS has paid for the procedure. I am so glad, but I won't get too full of joy because I have to write another appeal and my surgeon from the hospital said that he would also tell me what to say. So that gives me hope. Hopefully I will be banded in January and I hope that the nice people I have met here on this forum will be with me all the way through my journey. I will need it. So you guys keep me in your prayers and I will do the same.

Wow, that's so great, I will say prayers that things will go in your favor. I had BCBS of Florida in 2002 when I had my surgery. They originally turned me down until the docs office presented them with all of my co-morbidities and I guess they finally decided it would be cheaper to pay for my surgery than for me to have another heart attack, more cancer, or surgery on my knees. Not to mention a lifetime of meds for blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin and on and on. So there is hope they may approve you.

Keep us posted on how things go. If you need more information on insurance, appeals, etc, use the search option at the top of this screen and search for that information. There have been a lot of people who have had to fight their insurance companies and won. So one of those threads may really be helpful to you.

Good luck and God Bless,

Cindy

Persistance will pay off for you - I can feel it!! You may still hit one or two more road blocks BUT don't get discouraged. Head up young lady & forge ahead - There is a band waiting for you at the end of the rainbow! Please keep us informed:0)