Ugh, Insurance, what is a girl to do...

I am so frustrated about my insurance situation. The plan that I have with my employer has a rule that you must be employed for 5 + years in order for the surgery to be covered and it only covers the initial surgery and nothing else, no follow-up visits for fills and what not. My husband started a new job and his plan will cover the surgery. I talked to an agent and she said that there wasn't that much needed to qualify.....hmmm maybe so but listen up. I go ahead and change the insurance over. My goal is to have surgery sooner than later. Not sure if that will happen because the particular procedure that I want happens to have an added stipulation, "Individuals considering the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap-Band®) procedure must meet the above minimum BMI requirement and, in addition, have a maximum BMI of less than 50." Of course my BMI is currently 56 so what that means is that I need to lose about 30lbs, or settle for gastric bypass. I don't want gastric bypass (don't like the idea of having my anatomy re-routed and malabsortion issues). It will take months to drop 30lbs, exercise is not possible due to back pain. I eat well balanced meals but my problem is portion control because I find myself still hungry and not satisfied when I eat smaller meals and I wind up eating more. That is the reason I feel that the lap-band is the best option, it helps with restriction. I will feel full even when eating much smaller portions. I know that it is all for the greater good but I am vexed because it is looking like time, time, and more time I must face before I can get the tool I so desperately need. By the time I get all that is required it'll be December my 5 year anniversary with my job, so I don't even know if changing the insurance helped in anyway because in October I get medicare due to disability. I just don't know what to do. Please let me know if there is another way around this. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. The plan I currently have is Empire BCBS. Peace and Blessings Mo

my only suggestion would be to apply for the precert and then apeal when its denied with information as to why you and you're dr feel this is a better choice.... but have you talked to you're surgeon about this? I was absolutely against gastric bypass untill i started doing more research and talked to my surgeon... anyway it is youre choice and i think an apeal would be the only way around this.

I know that 30lbs sounds like a lot, BUT it is very possible and you can actually  do it in one month or less. I know this because I thought I'd give the "fatsmash diet" a try, it is the diet used on celebrity fit club written by Dr. Ian. It was kind of hard the first few days because the first phase of the diet is detox, so you are removing meat, sugar, and fat from your diet for 9 days. You are allowed to eat yogurt, fruits, veggies, and beans. I kid you not at the end of my 9th day I had lost 17lbs. Now a lot of people said that was probably 10lbs of water and a 7 lb loss, and to them I said I will take 17 lbs any way it comes as long as it is coming OFF! The book is only like $7 and it really really works. If you give it a try I'm sure you will drop that BMI in no time! Good Luck and God Bless! Jamille