A new member from the other side of the Globe

[Dutchtraveller 0]

@PaleoKris:

I think that doctors and insurance companies should think ahead. It doesn't make any sense to say 'you don't have any co-morbidities yet so we won't pay for the band". Such a dumb-ass thing to say! So you have to wait until you get worse? Because most of us know how to loose weight but we end up regaining all the weight and then some. But we do have the same issues over here. If you're not approved by the specialists then the insurance companies over here will also turn you down. So even with our insurance system, there are those who will have to pay for themselves. I think they go by international regulations: BMI of 40 and up or a BMI of 35 with co-morbidities.

I'm glad to hear that you enjoy Amsterdam so much. Did you experience Queensday yet?

@Birinak:

Thanks for the advise! I think it will be April/May for us. We were planning to see Montreal as well, drive up there from Toronto. And of course see the Niagara falls.. got to see that!

I can't wait to get to Vancouver. We'll be going to Whistler to see some snowy mountains as well... it is close to Christmas time then so that must me a great atmosphere.

I'm glad to hear that Belgium gave your family a safe place to live and I hope you will get to see it soon. You'll love Antwerpen (city of diamonds, so bring cash! LOL) and I also love Brugge and Gent. But there are countless nice places!

Greetzzz,

Kim

[PaleoKris 0]

Get the insurance companies to pay out money for something that hasn't happened yet? What? How shocking!

Heh, yeah, insurance companies are annoying. I guess their reasoning is if you haven't died yet (or got something seriously wrong with you that they will actually pay out for) then there's always the chance you can get better without their input. Maybe. So yeah, basically wait until you get worse, then pay. Though you'd think that it'd cost them less to get the band -first- than wait until you've got diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, all that fun stuff that you're dealing with on a long term basis (medication, etc).... Plus the band if you then decide to get it. Who knows...

Hang on... Wouldn't you need to be approved by the specialist to get the surgery in the first place anyway? For the specialist to go ahead and do it on you? Or if they don't approve but you make enough of a fuss and say you'll pay will they then go ahead with it anyway?

I suppose in the grand scheme of things I wasn't really that bad - BMI was under 40, somewhere between 35 and 40 anyway (I just remember noting that I wouldn't be allowed to go to Antarctica on medical grounds, haha) - but I definitely know about the whole lose 5, put 10 on type of 'not-really-weight loss' and it didn't look like THAT was going to change no matter what I did.

No! This will be my first Queen's Day! I'm looking forward to it, haha. Though I'm meant to move apartments around then, so trying to figure out when I'm going to do that - hopefully NOT on the 30th. Just missed it last year - got here on May 5th.