tizzylish

Good Afternoon Everyone, I am new to this site and made my first post this morning. I am incredibly frustrated. I was so excited yesterday after my doctors appointment and taking the first step towards finally getting healthy, only to be told by my insurance company that they did not cover WLS. I am sure I am not the only one that has run into this problem. Does anyone have any advice they could give me. Self pay would be impossible for me with out some kind of financing, but I am not above borrowing money to save my life. I am just not so sure I would qualify for any kind of loan seeing that I have way too much credit to begin with. Thanks everyone.

Good Morning Everyone. I am looking for someone, anyone who can help me. I am 34 years old and have been fighting with my weight for the last 16 years. I have as I am sure most of us have tried every diet, fad, pill and potion out there to lose weight. I am to the point that I am not living, I am hiding. I feel like no one including myself sees me anymore that they only see the fat person I have become. It has gotten to the point that I am not the only one suffering anymore, but my children are too. They want to go to the water and amusement parks, and I just won't go. Because I am mortified at the thought of putting on a swimming suit and the thought of not being able to fit on a ride is enough to make me want to go to bed for the rest of my life. But also my back and joints can’t take it anymore. Yesterday I went to my doctor to finally discuss what my options could be, including counseling a nutritionist and bariatric surgery. Because I am having health problems due to my weight, and the fact that there are other problems that are sneaking up on me but have not reared their ugly head as of yet. She thought that I was an excellent candidate for the lap band surgery. She asked me to call my insurance company and find out what doctors they would work with. I left her office feeling happy and unbelievably hopeful for the first time in I can't tell you how long. I called my insurance company immediately only to be told that they would not cover this for me. I don’t understand. Why would they want to cover insulin and heart medication, back and knee surgery but they do not want to cover something that could help avoid all of it. I feel absolutely defeated. If someone has any suggestions, advice anything please let me know. Thank you all in advance.

I am so sorry to hear that you had cancer. I hope everything is ok now. I think that some people who have been fortunate enought to never have had a weight problem think that they are justified to point out to those of us who do that we are overweight. Like we do not know that every second of every day of our lives. I just try to tell myself that God does not like ugly and though I may be fat on the outside I am beautiful on the inside. And all I can say is Karma is a biotch!!!

We have kind of a strange insurance. It is called WI Masons, it is a Union insurance. We pay out the nose for it, but I guess that is pretty normal these days.

Thank you for your responses. My insurance company told me that they do not cover WLS, and when I asked her why she said that it is not the insurance companies fault that I have a weight problem. I currently do weight watchers and do my best to get at least 20-30 minutes of exercise daily. This is not easy since it is really hard on my knees and back. Can someone please tell me what co-morbidities they had and if that made it possible for your insurance to approve you. As of right now, I have as I mentioned back and knee problems, I am pre-diabetic, urinary incontinence and sleep apnea. The only thing that is in decent shape is my blood pressure, thank God. Is it possible to fight my insurance company on this decision? I think what really bothered me the most yesterday is that my doctor told me that many insurance companies are approving this surgery more readily now and that even Medical Assistance covers it. I pay over $1000.00 a month for my families insurance and they will not help me. That hurts.