insurance denial

Help!  I am so upset. My drs office contacted my insurance co. Aetna Global  ( my husband is  in Iraq, and i thought this would be great insurance) and was told that Aetna had an exclusion for any type of weight loss surgery, they would not even pay for me to go to  bariatric center for a consult.  I am so upset. I see on the insurance forum all the time where members have Aetna insurance and they pay for their surgery.  Does all off Aetna policys deny wls or is it just mine?  Can I fight this or am I just wasting my time. 

I'm really sorry that this has happened to you.  I do not have Aetna, so unfortunately, I do not have any advice. BUT.....where are you located?  You say that your hubby is in Iraq - is he Military?  If he is military there may be hope yet under his insurance (Tricare). Have you contacted aetna directly to see if there is in fact an exclusion and if there is a way around that exclusion? Cheer up you may in fact have some options here. Happy Holidays!

Jill gave some great advice, first call your insurance and find out if they do in fact have an exclusion, as about ways to fight it.  Look into the military insurance to see what it offers.  Also check out the insurance forum here on the board.  People there may have some great advice for you.  Don't give up, keep fighting for your health.  http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/insurance/

I just had my surgery on Dec 10th.  I have Anthem Healthkeepers, and they too have an exclusion for WLS.  When I had my initial appt. (I originally was going to have the LapBand), the doctor's office called my insurance company and even got an authorization number.  Then, when I decided to go with the RNY, they called the insurance company and they told them that whoever gave them the initial authorization number was mistaken - my surgery is NOT covered.  I was VERY upset, needless to say.   After some crying, I decided I would not let someone else decide my fate.  I applied for and was approved for the CareCredit credit card.  It's basically a loan, but they have an option of no interest if paid in 18 months.  Or, you can go with the "interest" loan.  Keep your chin up and do what's best for you - where there's a will there's a way!!      Blessings, Michelle

Sweetie I cant offer any help on the insurance, but sounds as if your getting some good ideas and suggestions to look into. But I just wanted to say Dont give up!! This is what they want you to do, which makes no since to me at all they would rather pay crazy Dr bills for  out rages appointments for co-morbities that we as obese patients seal with on a daily basis than to approve us for a surgery that gives us a tool to help w/ loosing the weight. So Dont give up on this. This is your life and your HEALTH and you deserve to be healthy and you deserve to make that choice not them. So I wish you all the best and keep fighting. Merry Christmas and may the New Year bring you all you deserve.

Hi! Thanks so much for answering.  We live in Blacksburg.  My husband went to Iraq the last of August and will be there for a year.  He's not militarym he signed up as a civilian truckdriver.  He was in the Marines years ago and absolutely loves the military.  He is to old to go back in but he thought he could go as a civilian so that is what he is doing.  He doesn't want me to have this surgery  but I am bound and determined to do it.  I thought our insurance would be great since his job is so good, but evidently it has an exclusion for wls.  I called them again the other night and I told the lady that I thought in the state of VA if your dr said it was medically necessary they had to approve it.  She told  me to have my dr fax them a letter.  So I don't know what will happen.  I am so tired of being fat that I can hardly stand it.  Thanks again and Merry  Christmas!