I have been reading this site as research while I waited for my lapband consultation. I was dead set that the Lap band was for me. I had my appt this week and the NP told me that I should go for the sleeve rather than the band because of all of the obvious reasons you all have been through. So I did change my surgery request to the sleeve. I immediately went home and did the research. Then I searched sleeve on this site and here I am learning more about the sleeve method than I ever would on "google". The NP encouraged the sleeve when she saw my insurance is BCBS Federal. She said she believes they are one of the few that cover sleeve.
This is straight from my benefits handbook:
"Gastric restrictive procedures, gastric malabsorptive procedures, and combination restrictive and malabsorptive procedures to treat morbid obesity – a condition in which an individual has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, or an individual with a BMI of 35 or more with co-morbidities who has failed conservative treatment; eligible members must be age 18 or over."
How do you all interpret this quote? (I know some of you are in the health care field. Would this include VSG or am I going to have to have bypass? Because getting the Lap band is out of the question for me.
My BMI is 40.3 so I will get approved for some kind of WLS. I just would prefer the one with faster WL and less complications.
Thanks for reading. I eagerly await your replies.