Changing insurance

jrrtubbs · July 25, 2007

Has anyone ever changed their insurance provider after having the band? I've been banded for two years now, been really bad on following fill dates and everything and feel like I'd almost be better off just eating good and excercising. I keep having to have surgical adjustments cause the stiches break and I never know why. From what I've read on here that shouldn't be happening.

Any how, long story short, the band and the fills and everything has been covered by my parents insurance. I'm moving to Chicago in October and will be off their insurance in December. I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with having to change providers after surgery. Since it's pre-existing, is it grounds for denial of coverage or do they have to cover it.

I'm asking all of this because my port has flipped yet again. I need to either get it fixed or get it removed before I move. That decision is going to be almost solely based on the insurance issue.

Alexandra · July 25, 2007

If you're going directly from one insurance plan to another with no lapse in coverage, there will not be a pre-existing condition exclusion. Are you going to a new job that will be covering you? If so, it's possible the plan design and details are determined by the company you'll be working for, not the carrier (so it's no good to ask if, for example, "Aetna" covers something).

Whether your port repair would be covered depends on a whole lot of other things, but a pre-existing condition exclusion would NOT apply if you had no gap in coverage. In general, though, the insurer you know (especially if it's GOOD insurance) is better than the one you don't. If you already know it could be covered anytime through October, I'd recommend getting it taken care of sooner rather than waiting.