Dr OZ? No, REALLY?

 Thanks! I just wi**** had been AFTER my sleeve, I was at my heaviest post baby weight when they taped the show and I hate looking at myself LOL My hair is usually so lame, but they had the sweetest, cutest hairdresser I have ever met and he made me feel like a superstar LOL

 in general, I like him. I hope he talks about all the surgeries. and if he talks about the poor stats for banding we know it isn't about the money.....

Well that's just dandy for him to say but until ALL insurance companies are forced to recognize it as a preventative measure that must be covered for everyone then what he says doesn't do diddly squat for those of us not covered for bariatric surgery!

I thought that most insurance companies do cover the procedures, but the employeers that chose to have it part of their plan or not.

You're correct.  Insurance companies provide the coverage that employers ask them to provide - they do not tell companies what can and cannot be provided.

I almost wish they did - given that pretty much everyone hates insurance companies, we'd have better luck with a class action suit against that than we would against several million small  to mid-size employers who are the ones not covering WLS!

They couldn't do that if insurance companies didn't give them the option. It's their sneaky way of not having to cover the surgery but being able to say "Hey, it's not our fault. We offer the coverage. The companies just won't take it."

Except they don't even offer it to group plans with less than 100 members... 

They are treating WLS like cosmetic surgery and it's wrong.

He's starting to be realistic about WLS and the benefits.  We're going to have to see what he has to say.  I wonder if his guest, Colleen, had an influence on him.  She's the lady that weighs 700 lbs and been on his show a couple of times.

It's great if the purpose is to educate the nation on WLS. It's great that the information will be valid and have medical support behind it. It's not so great is that this is still tabloid TV and it could lose some creditbility within the medical/health insurance world.

I'd like to see just as much if not more education about nutrition and portion sizes. We need the country educated on how much an appropriate amount of food is for different ages. I see little kids, 7-10 years old, eating the same size portions as adults at restaurants. These portions are already oversized for adults. Our vision of correct food amounts is distorted.

Physical education has been removed from most grade schools so kids don't learn about exercise. Okay; play for 60 minutes a day is out there, but it's not enough.

Obesity is an epidemic in this country and we really need to act as such. Take action to prevent obesity before it becomes necessary to have surgery. It all needs to be done together.

My MIL, who worked at a school, used to say that they ought to get rid of PE classes...AND the school buses.  Save money and the farther from school a kid lived, the healthier he'd be.  (She also said that their should be a legitimate Study Hall at the end of the school day, so that kids could do their homework, get help and have fewer books to carry.  Of course, no one would want to play the tuba in the HS band and what good is a band if it's all flutes, ya know?)

This will be good only if he really explores the pros and cons of WLS.

Years ago, I appeared on several of these types of shows (as an expert/pt).

Experience leads me to think he won't get into the nitty gritty of WLS (e.g. the big lack of informed consent issue). He's a cardiologist and this isn't his area. If he's smart (I think he is) he'll bring experts on the show who are both in favor of WLS and who aren't. He will need to discuss the other issue most TV show hosts don't, long term results (good/bad) and side effects. I've yet to see a show with WLS old timers. WLS geezers like myself have a lot of info to contribute...