Imagine421

I'm 27 and had my Vertical Sleeve done on March 22, 2010. My beginning weight was 250 and I'm 212 today, April 30, 2010. The surgery was really easy for me. I was feeling great the day after, it was like I never had anything done and my incision has healed very nicely. I used Dr. Wagner in St. Louis, MO. He performed the surgery with only one incision which was awesome. Oh and I have a very very tiny incision where I had my On-Q pain pump which I highly recommend. He gave me pain meds to take when I got home which I never needed. Please look at www.hoab.org if you are in the St. Louis, MO area. Heck look if you're not. He's a great surgeon.

I work at AT&T in Missouri and UHC covered my gastric sleeve. They require a 5 year weight history and a psych evaluation. My surgeon sent the info in on Friday at 5pm and I called UHC on Monday at 7am and they already approved me! I had a co-worker who was approved in 1 business day as well. My total to the hospital was $222, which $40 of that was a co-pay. I paid my surgeon a $200 program fee and $20 co-pay for office visit prior to surgery. I was able to get all of this reimbursed from my health savings account. Usually they won't reimburse anything weight related however my surgeon wrote a letter that I had a medical condition of obesity and that I had to sign a consent to take supplements for life so they are also reimbursing me for my vitamins, protein, calcium, etc too! I love my UHC plan!

Hi Mary! My UHC plan did NOT require the 6 month diet. On my paperwork for the Dr I had to write down all my attempts at weight loss but they were not all documented by a physician. For Instance, I wrote I tried Alli, metabolife, acai berry/colon cleanse diet, weight watchers, etc...I wrote it all down. I'm not sure if they submitted that sheet to my insurance or not. Now I know each UHC plan is different depending on your employer. I'm not sure if UHC doesnt require the 6 month diet period or if my particular UHC didn't. I actually had good luck with UHC when I called about having surgery. They told me exactly what they required. I believe it was called the Care Coordination department I spoke with. I told them I'm thinking about having this surgery, what are the requirements. I wish you the best of luck. I know how stressful this part of the process can be. I'm not sure what kind of surgery you are considering but UHC starting covering the gastric sleeve at the end of 2009. They are one of the very few to cover it, if not the only. I was going to get gastric bypass until I learned they covered the sleeve. I had my gastric sleeve done on March 22 and I feel great. Good Luck!!

I used Dr Wagner in Saint Louis, MO. I highly recommend him! www.hoab.org