Question:
Are there organizations a person can get help from to pay for surgery
Anthem Blue Cross has already rejected me because weightloss surgery is excluded in our insurance plan. They wouldn't even consider it. My doctor says I stand a good chance to die of a heart attack or stroke if my diabetis doesn't kill me. I'm a single parent and there is no possible way I can afford to pay for the surgery out of pocket. — srandall117 (posted on February 5, 2008)
February 4, 2008
I know exactly how you feel. My boyfriend has Connecticare and he called
and gave them all his info and asked if the surgery was covered under his
plan and they said yes as long as he did the 6 month medically monitored
diet. He did it and then they rejected him. I sent them an appeal letter
and stated what happened when he called them. I told them 3 drs and a
physcologist and a nutritionist are all saying he needs this surgery to
live and they are denying him. I also said if a cancer patient came in and
needed chemo to live would they deny that person. Oh hell no they wouldnt.
This is just as serious if not more. There is an attorney who will fight
for you. I have to find his name and once I find it I will post it for you.
You should also when I get this attorney web site for you print out the
letters on the web site to the president. I did it. For me and my
boyfriend. I had bypass 4 yrs ago and it saved my life. Literally saved my
life. Good luck
— Joanc
February 4, 2008
Ok you can go to www.obesitylaw.com and the attorneys name is Walter
Lindstrom. I understand there is another attorney in Ny who alos does
this. I dont knwo the name of the attorney but my drs office knows them. I
used Dr. Elmer Valin in New Haven Ct. If you want to call there I am sure
they can help you out.
— Joanc
February 5, 2008
I used Obesity Law and he was very honest and told me that my insurance
company had a clase that was unbeatable. I went to Capital One and applied
for a loan and paid for the surgery. I feel that no mater what I have to
cut to make the payments it was worth every penny. I have never felt
better and had hope of losing all my weight for once. I am off all my
heart medication and diebetic drugs. I still take thyrod drug and an
asprin, along with my minerals and vitimuns, but what a difference. If
there is no coverage you could look at another job that might have bter
coverage, but I at my age could not take that road.
— William (Bill) wmil
February 5, 2008
Stephen,
I was exactly in your boat before my surgery. There was NO WAY possible
for me to afford surgery - and although we have outstanding health
insurance, there is an air-tight exclusion on anything related to weight.
We consulted an attorney who was very honest with us and told us we didn't
have enough time left to fight - and even if we did, the exclusion was
written in such a way that it was pretty much impossible to hope to win.
My doctors had given me six months to live. Time was of the essence. For
me, a miracle happened - someone anonymously donated the money for my
surgery, and so I went to Spain to Dr. Aniceto Baltasar for my surgery.
Obviously - I lived! Not only have I lived, I've thrived. Know what? I
now consider that devastating denial of insurance a total God-send.
I know LOTS of self-pay patients. There are nearly as many ways to pay for
surgery as there are people! I know people who have sold things on ebay,
or had community fund-raisers, or taken out home equity loans, or used
their retirement accounts to name a few. When your life is on the line,
the creativity can really kick in!
May you be blessed with just what you need at just the right time. If I
can answer any questions, let me know!
Blessings,
dina
— Dina McBride
February 5, 2008
Hello my name is Cindy and I too was turned down by my insurance co. and we
filed a appel but it was still no I was told by 5 doctors that if I did not
have the surgey I would die I was in a wheel chair and my family waited on
me hand and foot I had no life I lived with guilt we took money from our
retirement account and paid for it and I felt great guilt but my loving
Husband said he would not have a retirement without me how blessed I am I
had my surgery on 9/17/2007 and I have lost 125lbs in a little over 4
months God has blessed me so much hang in there he will bless you too
THanks Cindy
— toyotawife
February 5, 2008
Something i found out about a while back is calling the center or surgeon
you want to use. find out if they do freebies ever. i found out the
center i had wanted to do has a list and they do 2 a quarter i believe for
free. best of luck.
— Julzizhr
February 5, 2008
I too was denied. My insurance had the obesity exclusion as well. I was
referred to ObesityLaw and they were great. It took 3 appeals but the
appeals finally won out. Walter and his wife were fabulous. She was right
up front with me and told me my chances and they worked with me with
payments. I owe them big time, It was worth paying them the few hundred
than the $37k my surgery billed.
— Pam_B_OR
February 6, 2008
Hi Stephen .. you say you are a single parent... any chance you are
eligible for Medicaid? You may want to check on that because it is what
paid for my surgery.
— Katrina B.
February 6, 2008
Just yesterday (2/5/08) I saw an watched an episode of Dr. Phil with a guy
who weighs 725 lb. I think he was being rejected by surgeons (not insurance
company) who did not want to take the risk of his dying on the table,
though that was not specifically stated. Dr. Phil got a whole team of
professionals, doctors, psycololgist, nutritionist, personal trainer, etc.,
together to help this guy -- possibly without surgery -- all free of charge
to him. I don't know that Dr. Phil's producers (Oprah/Harpo??) would be
willing to foot the bill again soo soon after that one but maybe you could
approach Montel or someone with your story about these insane insurance
companies that would rather see their 'customers' die than shell out for
needed bariatric surgery. Good luck!!
— [Deactivated Member]
February 6, 2008
Fight the insurance is your best bet. There is nothing out there for free
usually. It is too hard to find that.
Also they have financing plans at zero percent often like carecredit that
would help essentially.
look into it.
— tl_morgan
February 6, 2008
Associated Press article by Maria Young
An Associated Press article by Maria Young appeared in the 2/5/08 edition
of The San jose Mercury News and isd reproduced below. It's high time
formed a "union" (maybe starting with OH members) to act as a
single, LOUD voice in getting a law(s) enacted to force insurance companies
to consider subscribers' lives ahead of their profit margins. -- Dawn
#####
REASEARCH: CARING FOR HEALTHY PEOPLE IS COSTLY. * LONDON -- Preventing
obesity and smoking can save lives, but it doesn,t save money, researchers
reported Monday. *It costs more to care for healthy people because they
live years longer, according to a Dutch study that counters the common
perception that preventing obesity would save governments [and insurance
companies -- my addition: DMW] millions of dollars. *"This throws a
bucket of water onto the idea that obesity is going to cost trillions of
dollars," said Patrick Basham, a professor of health politics at Johns
Hopkins University. *The study was published online Monday in the Public
Library of Science Medicine journal. *"The benefits of obesity
prevention may not be seen immediately in terms of cost savings in
tomorrow's budget, but there are long-term gains," said Neville Rigby,
spokesman for the International Association for the Study of Obesity.
"These are often immeasurable when it comes to people living longer
and healthier [sic] lives."
— [Deactivated Member]
Click Here to Return