Cameron_cts_sfa

I got my information straight from BCBS Medical Director. I am the Bariatric Coordinator and Surgical Assistant for our office so I am on the phone with insurance companies daily.

As far as I know if you were done outside the US the closest is in Texas

Kathy I have someone attempting to use legal action on BCBC of NC right now. I'll try to keep you posted on what they do at the end of it

Just an update for everyone out there. The Blue Cross Blue Shield orginazation is beginning to fall. In the last two to three weeks three different BCBS states have begun to cover the band for there members. Colorado, New Mexico, and I want to say MS but that one might be wrong. There is hope for those who can only do this procedure when insurance covers it. Only thing they are doing is saying you have to be under a BMI of 50

www.coloradolapband.com should be up and running in one to two weeks

Just got a call the Colorado BCBS is changing there policy to BMI under 50 Band is no longer investigational!!!

Trish, your making me blush here!!

Occasionally we do remove fills for specific types of surgery but not very often. In our office we use scopalamine Patches for post op nausea. Might be worth talking to your orthopod about. Cameron

Walking!! It is referred pain from the small amount of disection done to place the band. There are some theories out in the medical community that using a heated humidified form of gas will cause this to be less of a problem, we have been using this for a couple of months now and I am still not sure what I think but it does seem to help a touch. Cameron

From my stand point if it was one of our patients I would want to know right away. It may be nothing but I would rather find out it was nothing early than have to worry about it being something later. Call your doctor!!!

P.S. Just so folks don't think I am rude I am replying to most questions privately instead of floating pages of what I do with my surgeon out there, and remember your surgeon may be different then us and that does not mean that it is wrong it's just we all have different tendancies Cameron CTS/SFA

And you know you can always call and ask whatever questions you have Trish, If I'm in Surgery I will call you back. Cameron CTS/SFA

Well, I'm not banded myself, but if I was going to have a procedure the band would be it and believe me I travelled all over the US to different seminars learning about all the different procedures. In my opinion the band is the safest choice. On the fills, most people need three to five the first year. Surgical swelling is going down for about twelve months which cuts down on restriction and yes the first stuff to melt away is on the inside so the amount left under the band around the stomach goes away which in turn cuts down on the restriction.