Gary Smithey

Aspiring evangelist, did you say "money whores?" The typical profits for health insurance companies have ranged from 2.2 to 4.4% in 2 of the last 3 years. Tupperware's stock has been reported as a better investment. But you know that they companies are, well I won't say it again. If anyone believes that the health insurance companies are making killer profits, this will be your lucky day. Beg, borrow or steal to get something in your brokerage account and buy some of their stock!! This is America! You can get rich getting in on this hugely profitable industry (tongue in cheek). As to the procedures, of course they are two different procedures with different codes being used. My dr. said he wanted me to wait and lose 50lbs before I had the hernia repair.

And also, thank you so much for the Phillipians quote!

go to unjury.com // Chocolate and Vanilla are good / Strawberry, too artificial tasting / they also have other things // These folks are great taste wise, but not cheap!

Having been banded on 10/3, taking the pills is not an option for me anymore. I picked up a large bottle of liquid Omega 3 from a health food store and take a spoonful once or twice a day. ($47, wow!) I have seen Centrum Silver in liquid at CVS but $9.99 worth lasted only 15 days. So I'm chewing a combination Vitamin tablet but may go back to the Silver if I can find a better deal or I run out of the other bottle of large, chewable pills any time soon. I'm taking Lipitor without cutting it now (20mg.). So, so far that's not been an issue. Before I was cutting it in half, but at just under 2 months I'm not very restricted so it goes down easily.

That was a quick update. It's getting close to midnight and I'm due in the Med Ctr. in Houston at 6AM for mine. Might as well grin and bear it at this point I guess. Thanks to all who post and share your information with others about your journey!

I'm a health insurance agent in Texas. I would be shocked if any individual plan covered weight loss surgery. But it appears that any group plan that wishes to allow it, can choose to do so and pay for it. It's possible that some states might require them to, but I would be surprised if that's so. If providing competitive benefits is what the company is trying to do, it would only make sense to provide weight loss surgery. As to do it now and submit it later plan, WOW! That's a true leap of faith. In my own case a very experienced local drs. staff told me two years in a row that they called and checked and that my policy didn't cover it (and I have Blue Cross). I accepted their "expertise" as being unimpeachable and let it go. Not long after the 2nd turn down by the drs. office, who stated I just didn't have the benefit, I had to discuss something in my plan with Blue Cross of California (now Anthem) and I asked them, not thinking I'd get a positive response, if they would cover it. YES, they said, if it was a medical necessity. (This was in the same year, just two months after the 2nd turn down). I did what they asked, I jumped all the hurdles, and surgery is 10/3. So don't even trust your drs. office to get it all right. Call them yourself and ask them lots of questions. You are the one who will gain if like, me, you get a different answer. 3rd time was a charm. And if your company doesn't have it this year, they just might add it next year. Talk to your head of HR if you can and ask if they are considering adding it in the future to their plan.

Spivak is a legend. Having a chance to go with him I think is a great option. His seminar was very straight forward. He said, I'm going to tell you how it really is, and not try to sell you. He gave us a very sobering presentation about the challenges. He said he does 60% lap band and 40% Gastric Bypass today. (and I assume he will the Sleeve) I had a one on one consultation with him as everyone did where we discussed how to deal with a hernia I have. He asked questions and listened with great patience. And, he has never lost a patient doing either GB or Lap Band and was first to do Lap Band in Texas. His staff is highly recommended by his patients. I have spoken to many of them. Please go with whom you want to, but cast no dispersions on Dr. Spivak unless you have a good reason. And Steve, I didn't see an ego at all. He did seem confident, but want him to be confident. Cocky? Not even close in my one meeting with him.

I have October 3 as my surgery date. I got a big lump in my throat making the call to set it up. Never having spent a night in the hospital, breaking a bone, etc., surgery is all new to me. My wife's class has a H.S. reunion, so I wanted to go with her toward the end of the month. And then Friday, the 3rd was better for her work schedule, so I took that date. Dr. Spivak, in Houston will do it. He doesn't require much in the way of dieting pre-op, I understand other than not to gain weight. I'm thinking I'll start a low fat diet (his ofc. said low fat or S. Beach might be good if I wanted to). Start giving up the sodas, red meat, Pasta and breads as it get closer. (He does ask to give up red meat and pasta for 5 days "for my comfort") Any suggestions on pre op diets?

I'm so sorry for your loss, Waikiki! I lost my dad 20 years ago and I still miss him. We are never wanting them to live on in pain, but we miss what they were to us and we miss seeing them so much. Our pain is mostly for ourselves as we know he is in a better place. As a local pastor in the UMC for 10 years, with 2 small congregations, I can tell you cremations are here to stay. Some have nothing against them to begin with, some do it for financial reasons alone. But the advice to have a Memorial Service is just right. All you need are some pictures of him. Invite her to come but don't let her response bother you in any way. Don't focus on her, focus on him. Ask the Chaplain to do "Celebration of Life" kind of service with good things remembered. Some scripture and a brief message, or whatever you want would complete the planning. These type services are very important to end properly and remember and memorialize our loved ones. Email me at ges01@comcast.net if you'd like to discuss this. God's blessings on you and on the wonderful memories he is leaving you all.

Becca, that was neat that we got to experience a fill. I have 3 drs. visits of the 6 behind me with no. 4 coming up in 6 days. It would be possible, for me to have surgery in 90 days if all goes well. I am looking forward to the loss, but dreading just a bit going through the process. At 60, I've never spent the night in the hospital other than at birth and I know this should be day surgery, and go pretty easy, still it's just a slight bit unsettling. Seeing your video just makes it all seem kind of routine, though I know it's not. But it is comforting to see how smoothly the process went. I would have thought he would have let the local have some time, but guess that's not needed. Keep it up and I do hope we will see more posts from you soon.

I don't think I misspoke pointing out there are two kinds of plans. If you have the option to add it, do so. Your post did not make it clear which kind of plan you had. Many people that own their own business are on "individual plans" so it's not a lock that business owners all have group coverage.

Oops! Back at the top of this series of messages, the lady says she has Cigna and it does not cover weight loss surgery. Cigna doesn't have individual plans in Texas so I never see them do "individual health" cases. It would appear in Florida, Cigna has both group and individual coverage. Just like maternity, the best way to get this covered would be to get a job with a company large enough to have group insurance and specifically, have a plan that covers weight loss surgery. Many group plans don't cover weight loss surgery. It is an additional cost (and benefit to the employee) and not every company sees the value of doing it.

Cigna is a group insurer. Of course group insurance can cover weight loss surgery. I know I'm counting on them approving my case soon. The original question was posed by a woman who was looking for "individual" not group coverage. In group insurance, risk is based on the total group. 50% or more of the true cost of the employee's insurance is usually covered by the employer. A generous package of benefits is usually included. It is a form of pay to the employees. Individual plans are much different, with the client having to qualify for the plan (get approved by the underwriting dept.), and pay the monthly premiums all by themselves. My point is that it is highly unlikely that any state will have a major medical policy sold to individuals (individual health insurance) that will have a rider for weight loss surgery. If you find one, post their name here. For this same reason pregnant women, without group insurance, can't call up companies after they are pregnant and get them to cover the cost of their pregnancies. It would cost the companies a lot of money and they are not interested in taking on clients or making provisions that guarantee them a loss.

I know nothing of Florida insurance laws but just think about it. Who wants a new client that costs them money, in any business. If that was true, individual plans would let a pregnant woman sign up for $100t to $200 a month (you make up the amount) and cover a $10,000 pregnancy. Pregnant women, diabetics, those over a certain weight, etc. are consisitantly denied by all the big name major med companies in Texas. What company could stay in business taking on clients that drain their profits? So the idea that one could sign up for a "weight loss surgery rider" on an individual plan, seems unlikely to me in all 50 states, but I don't know all their laws. Insurance companies do not exist to be charitable or to solve your problems. They run a business and their CEO will get fired if he doesn't generate a reasonable return to stockholders. No different than a football coach or corporate leader.