Getting Medicaid to cover surgery (MD)

[ineedaband 0]

Hello Every.

I am new to this forum so please bare with me. I recently called my insurance co. (care first blue cross blue shield) and they informed me that they dont cover weight loss surgery. I then called my local dept of health and mental hygiene, they informed me that medicaid will cover both the lap band and gastric bypass "if Medically necessary ." I dont have medicaid yet, but I am sure I'll qualify. I truly want to know how to go about it through medicaid? I will apply for medicaid, but once that's approved, where do I go from there. I honestly need this surgery, I am a female age 20 5'4 and 240pounds. Since 2008 i have had this respiratory problem, my general doctor never officially diagnosed it as asthma but I do take an over the counter inhaller daily, I am thinking it may have something to do with my weight. I have been on diets since I was 12 years old, only to gain more weight. My doctor has even given me a form of phentermane and that still did not work. I would have no other way to pay for this surgery, although I really need it. Can anyone please provide me with the steps I need to take to go the medicaid way? I have no credit so I cant just take out a loan and pay that way (im a full time college student, no job but I have the support of my parents) Thank you so much

[HeatherinCA 10]

Hello Every.

I am new to this forum so please bare with me. I recently called my insurance co. (care first blue cross blue shield) and they informed me that they dont cover weight loss surgery. I then called my local dept of health and mental hygiene, they informed me that medicaid will cover both the lap band and gastric bypass "if Medically necessary ." I dont have medicaid yet, but I am sure I'll qualify. I truly want to know how to go about it through medicaid? I will apply for medicaid, but once that's approved, where do I go from there. I honestly need this surgery, I am a female age 20 5'4 and 240pounds. Since 2008 i have had this respiratory problem, my general doctor never officially diagnosed it as asthma but I do take an over the counter inhaller daily, I am thinking it may have something to do with my weight. I have been on diets since I was 12 years old, only to gain more weight. My doctor has even given me a form of phentermane and that still did not work. I would have no other way to pay for this surgery, although I really need it. Can anyone please provide me with the steps I need to take to go the medicaid way? I have no credit so I cant just take out a loan and pay that way (im a full time college student, no job but I have the support of my parents) Thank you so much

If you have your parents support, you probably don't qualify for medicaid, you have to be low income or have a disability. I would imagine it would be hard to get them to pay for something like that since it is government subsidized insurance. Not sure obviously. Also I'm guessing it'll be nearly impossible to find a quality surgeon that will accept medicaid.

Hmm, for me my insurance didn't cover it either, so I switched to one that did, you have to have a PPO and it's fairly expensive per month, but it's still still cheaper than paying out of pocket.