Insurance not covering bariatric surgeries

[Sonyawon 135]

Luckily I had my surgery done almost 2 years ago. ...I am very fortunate ...the last Insurance meeting that I went to for my company said, our insurance is no longer going to cover bariatric surgeries. I don't understand why they wouldn't. Like I said I'm very fortunate it has change my life for the better. Why are they taking something so beneficial...away?

Loving Life

[chuckwalsh 122]

Wow.. ya.. I have government assistance Medicaid and they covered it.. crazy a private wouldn't.

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[GreenTealael 25,329]

Huh....you think they would want happy healthy employees.

I bet their risk management consultants gave them some relevant data like "78% of the employees who have the procedures leave less than 1 year after"...

[elcee 3,341]

Here in Aus only the top (most expensive) policies cover it. It is because it has become so popular that their costs are blowing out.

[Matt Z 4,139]

10 hours ago, Sonyawon said:

Luckily I had my surgery done almost 2 years ago. ...I am very fortunate ...the last Insurance meeting that I went to for my company said, our insurance is no longer going to cover bariatric surgeries. I don't understand why they wouldn't. Like I said I'm very fortunate it has change my life for the better. Why are they taking something so beneficial...away?

Loving Life

Insurance coverages can be selected by employers, it's entirely possible your employer decided to no longer cover it for a discount in service fees.

[ldawn 178]

The last hospital I worked for didn’t cover it. Then would have administrative meetings to discuss insurance costs and complain about how much certain people were spending. It was crazy. It was like 60% of insurance claims were from 9 people. Each was morbidly obese. Well, maybe if you would cover the surgery they may not have all these health issues. The hospital I currently work for does cover it, but only if you have it done at our facility and with our surgeon. And since it’s being done at our facility there is no deductible, just the 15% coinsurance.

[The 56 Bypass 82]

I don't have the coverage. Getting the sleeve on December 26 and paying myself. Ridiculous that they'd rather pay for decades of illness caused by obesity.

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[Frustr8 7,886]

Often thought insurance companies that didn't fall on their heads on concrete and addled their brains have their heads buried in the sand. Remember, they went into this to make 💰📈 not provide a helpful service and certainly not pay out anymore than necessary. I used think it terrible people wanted to blow places up, oh but now I understand some of their reasoning! BOOM!🎋🎉🎊

[New&Improved 1,780]

I'm also in Australia.

I ONLY got insurance to pay for the WLS but even after everything I'll still be out of pocket around 4K not including Vitamins etc

But at least we don't seem to have any hoops just have to be the right BMI to get insurance cover.

I've spoken to people who have only had 2 consultations with surgeon and had surgery all within 2 months! But there are some that require psychologists and Dietician but not all thank God. We have the choice!

Your health insurance in the USA acts like car or home insurance and seems to do everything not to pay up!

[The 56 Bypass 82]

I ended up not being eligible for the sleeve, due to a large hiatal hernia. So I ended up getting the gastric bypass on Dec 26, 2018. Our insurance plan doesn't cover bariatrics, so I had to pay $25,000 upfront. I don't have that kidnd of money laying around, so I cashed in my IRAs and had just enough. I was doing so poorly before the surgery that I knew I wasn't going to be around to enjoy that IRA money. I sure am enjoying it now! 🙂 Uncle Sam will be wanting his cut, tho. 😞