Just starting to gather info...

[Buaya_Guy 0]

Hi all, I'm Bryan and I live in New Orleans.

I've probably been overweight for most of my adult life, but it's only recently (say the last 6-8 months) that my weight has reached close to the 300 pound mark. I'm 6'1", and should probably weigh around the 150-160 pound range....it's been so long now that I'm not even sure anymore :wub:)

I was able to lose quite a bit of weight in 2002, and managed to keep it off for about 6 months or so, but now I think it's time to try the Lapband system.

I'm about to sign up for health insurance with my employer (Office Depot) - they use Aetna as their provider. Does anyone know from prior experience if Aetna covers this type of surgery? If they don't, I may need to try to get some sort of outside insurance plan.

My dad's a doctor, so he has some contacts here in town, but I think Ochsner is a very good hospital (had some eye surgery done there many years ago.) If anyone else in my area has some good recommendations, I'd be happy to hear them :thumbup:

Just a quick intro, I'll be reading these forums more and more as the time goes on - I hope to be able to set something up within the next 6 months at the latest.

-Bryan

[Debski 0]

hey bryan, I too have aetna n they do cover it but with a 3 month supervised diet. Your going to need to loose 15 to 20 lbs to show you are compliant. I was approved in less than two weeks! My surgery is finally scheduled for the 29th. woooohooooo :wub: Good luck! Debbie

[Jodi_620 37]

Welcome Bryan.

Not all insurance policies are the same, Aetna does cover the surgery for some policies but not all, it just depends on what Office Depot's policy allows--You will have to look into that. I hope it turns out that you will be covered!!!

[losingjusme 12]

insurance is tricky... depends on your employer actually.

welcome to LBT - best of luck to you.

[Buaya_Guy 0]

Hey again, sorry it's taken so long to reply, but I was finding out more information about this.

It turns out that Office Depot does *NOT* cover this type of surgery, so I'll need to go with an outside provider, so I'm asking for help now....

Is anyone here from the New Orleans area and do you have an individual policy directly from the insurance company?

I just checked Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Orleans, and in their brochure, one of the first items they say is not covered is:

* services, supplies and treatments that are not medically necessary.

This can't just be a cosmetic procedure...I'm certainly going to call and ask, but I'm afraid that if I can't get insurance to pay for this, that I won't be able to have it done at all, and at this point I'm thinking it may be one of the only things I can realistically do to lose the amount of weight that would get me back down to a seriously "healthy" or "normal" level (I'm thinking I'll need to lose close to 150 pounds...)

If anyone knows *anything* about the insurance coverage for this procedure in the New Orleans area, please reply!

Thanks,

-Bryan