Had surgery- changed insurance and now not covered

BethL · 07-02-2009, 04:02 PM

Hi,
I'm not banded yet but I'm scheduled in August. I read a post yesterday from a bandster who was banded a couple of years ago and recently changed insurance and found out she's not covered for anything. Obviously, now my husband and I are re-thinking having the procedure we both work in jobs where our insurance changes every couple of years and I'm worried I wouldn't be covered if something happened and I needed the band removed (god forbid). Has anyone experienced this?

Julia_N · 07-02-2009, 06:11 PM

In my opinion, you're needlessly worrying about something that MIGHT happen. Do you have any inkling that your insurance is about to change? If not, don't worry so much. If you're ready to get the band, do it now when you know for sure that it's covered. If your insurance changes, then you worry. If it doesn't, that's a long time and a lot of energy you've spent on something that isn't happening.

Good luck!

davidsmom08 · 07-02-2009, 06:18 PM

wow...I see where your coming from...I never honestly thought about that scenerio. However I know my MD is affiliated with a hospital that will see you even if you have the inability to pay so if I needed to have my band removed for emergency reasons...maybe something to look into on the "in case"

texas mommy · 07-02-2009, 10:48 PM

I worry about that too....my insurance changed to one that didn't cover surgery just when I decided to do it. So I have been doing a cha-cha for 8 months now, paying for the old and new policies and meeting all requirements. So now that i am 2 weeks post-op, I definitely don't have coverage. Fills will cost me $50 each and having it removed some day, while a possibility, is a bridge I will have to cross when I get there. Won't give that any of my energy right now. Making friends with my new DLF (dear little friend).

dhall111 · 07-04-2009, 09:48 PM

Band removal could very well be covered. The items not covered by most surgeries are weight loss surgery. Removing the band isn't a weight loss surgery.

If the doc says it's unsafe for you to have the band in you and must have it removed I would bet that it would be covered.

Just like if you have dental coverage, one item that is often not covered is implants. But if you have coverage that includes implants, and get one . . . then switch carriers to one that doesn't cover implants, they'll still cover problems associated with that implant.