CurvyNYC

Hi, I hope you can help me choose an insurance plan that will allow me to undergo LapBand surgery without requiring a 6 month waiting period. Luckily, I run my own small business (very small business, actually, with one employee) and I have the freedom to choose most insurance plans (either a business group plan or individual, depending on which will net me the best coverage). I haven't selected my 2014 coverage yet because I have spent the last 2 months researching WLS options, surgeons, and financing and was afraid of locking myself into the wrong plan. None of the insurance agents I contacted were helpful. The most they could tell me was to contact the providers themselves who would not give me access to the fine print until I became a cardholding member. The same goes for potential surgeons -- none of them would recommend a specific insurance until I became their patient, and to become their patient, I need to acquire insurance! So it's a never ending revolving door... I finally selected a surgeon and a plan she accepts that I thought would be the best option: United Health Care \ Oxford. But then I discovered that there would be a 6 month minimum wait, so I didn't purchase the policy. The thought of waiting 6 months in my present condition + the fact that 6 months from now will be a very hectic time in the business is very discouraging (and it only gets busier until the end of the year). I know I can always make excuses as to when is a good time but I feel I am super ready, so now or even 2-3 months from now is ideal. My BMI is >35 (but under 40) and I think I can swing 2 comorbidities (or at least one). Questions: 1. Have any of you recently (in 2014) had Lap Band surgery with United Health Care in NY? Was there a waiting period? 2. Which insurance would you recommend as providing the quickest application approval in NY? I don't have a lot of spare cash to burn but I'm still willing to purchase a more expensive plan to avoid the wait. 3. I have a history of weight loss failures, but not "officially" documented. Any suggestions? 4. Any surgeons in the NYC area who are sympathetic and will rush an application along? Thanks in advance!

Thanks everyone; I feel more at ease now that I have a plan going forward.

If I wasn't insured during this supervised weight loss program, will that be a problem? Must the 3 months / 6 months be under your current insurance program? If I purchase insurance tomorrow and put the paperwork together (all the pre-op tests, proofs of BMI with comorbidities, etc. + weight loss program from the past) will I still have to wait? Thank you so much for your feedback; no insurance agent will help!

The United Health Care plan (I'm referring to Oxford which is only available for small business groups) covers everything, and the best surgeons in NY accept the plan. I can purchase it through my business for a small ransom (10k a year for a single plan!) I'm stuck on the 6 months wait period though. The insurance is already so expensive and I really cannot afford to wait. Any tips? I am looking for any method to get the required documentation.

Apparently Oxford now requires a supervised diet plan for 2014. I really don't want to wait 6 months; I know it's easy to make excuses about timing but 6 months doesn't work very well for me. This is the only time of year business is really slow (just finished the 2013 holiday season) and I need to take advantage now.

I am in the same boat; looking for the best insurance policy in NY with less weight management time in 2014 (because a lot of insurance policies changed their fine print). I'm interested in the LapBand. Any information would be appreciated.