BCBS of AL

officegirlblues · 11-07-2006, 02:21 PM

Any of you Alabama Bandsters had any luck with getting BCBS of AL to cover your surgery yet? If not, has anyone heard an update on when/if they will cover it any time soon?:nervous

Thanks!
Hope

lsjt · 11-09-2006, 09:41 AM

I Have Not Heard An Update But I Know Bc Of Mississippi And I Think Ga Are Paying For It.

Truffles · 11-09-2006, 09:52 AM

BCBS of Massachusetts very quickly approved me and my husband. We wrote out a spreadsheet of diets we had tried and approximate time frame and success/failure. They didn't require a lot of documentation.

officegirlblues · 11-09-2006, 05:56 PM

Right. Several of the other states' BCBS covers the surgery. But, as usual, Alabama is behind the times. I keep hoping one day soon I will hear that they do. I've been waiting for 3 years to have this surgery. I just don't see any way I can self pay.... :cry

TamifromAL · 11-10-2006, 10:11 AM

I remember hearing about one person who got them to pay for Lap Band, but it was due to a miscommunication. Apparently she had been told that they would cover it, if she jumped through all their hoops (the pre-testing and 6-mo. supervised diet). Then, when she was all ready to go, someone else told her that she could get gastric bypass, but not the Lap Band. She fought it, and won.

I have BCBS of AL, and didn't even try, because I knew they would only cover gastric bypass, and I wasn't interested in that surgery. So, I paid for it myself. I know that it's just not possible for everyone to come up with the $$ to pay for it, but it's worth it if you can. In just over two months, I'm down 44 lbs., and I'm off of my blood pressure and diruetic meds. My BP med was about $50 per month (after insurance). All the expenses related to being obese add up. I just wish the insurance companies would take that into consideration!

Tami

officegirlblues · 11-10-2006, 04:09 PM

That is great Tami! :clap2: I know this surgery is the best option for me so I'm trying to hold out... or figure out a way to finance it. But, I'm a single mom and I'm going to have to buy a house in the not so distant future, so I don't know that I can take the added expense of a Lap Band payment AND a house note. My kids and I live with my mom right now, so it will just be too much.

I think I remember hearing about that case as well. I also talked to one lady that has BCBS of AL and they paid for her's but, come to find out, she works for a very large company and it was written into their plan at the corporate office. One of the big paper mills. Only large companies like that can really afford to have it added. I know our premiums are going up at the company I work for and believe me, they are not adding to the coverage! I've thought about consulting one of the Obesity Lawyers and I may end up doing just that. If they think they can get it approved, that is. I've jumped through all the hoops already!

It just amazes me how narrow sighted BCBS of AL is on this issue... I wonder if they have done a study on the dollars they pay out every year on diabetes and high blood pressure, etc. and compared it to what they would save if they helped people actually recover from those diseases by loosing the weight and keeping it off?! An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!

I'm glad the surgery worked out for you. Keep being an inspiration to us all!

Thanks,
Hope