BMI

I have another question that I haven't seen discussed and was wondering if anyone has any feedback.  Has anyone purposefully gained weight to fit into that magic number of 40 BMI?  If a person has a BMI of say 38 or 39 wouldnt it make sense just to gain a few lbs to fit into the insurance requirement and save yourself literally thousands of dollars? 

I do know someone who gained weight but it was many years ago when the requirements were different. Today I don't think she would have a problem. I am not sure why it would cost you more money if you are 38 or 39 ...unless you have no co-morbidities and are going to self pay.

I was 38 BMI and I gained up to 41 on purpose to qualify....

You know you just admited to insurance fraud on a public forum ? Right? 

I'm not sure that qualifies as fraud because she purposely met the requirements.  If she had worn weights or something then it would have been fraud. 

I had a friend who was denied at 38 BMI without co-morbidities.  She did purposefully gain weight and had two rolls of pennies in her pockets for her final weigh-in before submission.  I don't recommend the penny part -- because, it's fraud.  However, it did work for her: she had a BMI of exactly 40 and was finally approved.  Sadly, by the time of her scheduled surgery three months later, she had a new co-morbidity too -- her first heart attack -- which delayed her life saving surgery by another year.    I always wonder if she'd been approved in the three years before, if it could have been prevented.  

I don't believe in committing fraud to qualify for surgery, so I didn't gain weight on purpose to reach a BMI cutoff.  I was at a BMI of 35 with comorbidities and my insurance covered me.  

How lucky you were that your insurance covered you.

Not everyone is as lucky.  

Luck? 

Yes. You are lucky that your insurance covered your surgery.