My wife had her VSG in August and is doing well. She has been in contact with Medicare to get them to pay for her surgery. Based upon her request, Medicare did a study regarding the feasibility of the VSG for those on Medicare.
Their report came out last week and indicated that although the VSG is as safe or safer than the bypass, it could NOT be approved because any research done on the VSG utilized too small a sample size. I am requesting anyone who has had or is contemplating having a VSG and is on Medicare to contact Medicare with your outcome with the VSG
Medicare is seeking PUBLIC COMMENT regarding whether the VSG procedure should be approved. It could help future patients get the procedure approved by their insurance company if it's approved by Medicare. Medicare approval of the VSG could force private insurance companies to reevaluate their denial of the procedure and save lives.
The link to go to is long but if you go through it you should find a link for public comment. My wife and I have nothing to gain Forum members commenting. We only hope to spare others and their friends and relatives from the hassle we encountered.
Please read this and comment; http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/nca-proposed-decision-memo.aspx?NCAId=258&ver=3&NcaName=Bariatric+Surgery+for+the+Treatment+of+Morbid+Obesity&TimeFrame=7&DocType=All&bc=AgAAYAAAIAAA&
Thanks again,
Larry (empirejd)