Early Stages of Revision

Ok so I got a lapband in July 2007. My HW was 293 and day of surgery was 280.  I currently weigh 255 so I feel this band has failed me.  I get so many stuck episodes but I am so afraid to get unfilled because I do not want to see 280 again.  At this point I feel it is time to get a revision to bypass.  I am working on getting medicaid insurance and once I have it I plan on seeing Dr. Vulpe or his partner at Lutheran Medical Center.  My only concern is that I am a medical student studying away from home.  If medicaid requires me to do the 6 month supervised diet I will have to travel home once a month to do this.  I guess I won't know if the surgeon will perform a revision for me until I see him and what exactly the process is going to be for me.  I just hope to have this surgery by years end because I am so fed up with this band.  It even makes my stomach look weird because the side the port is on bulges out...yuck! Any help or advise from those who have gone thru NY medicaid or gone from band to bypass will be greatly appreciated.  

Not sure of NY but I have talked to at least 50 doctors here in Texas and none of them will do a revision/repair on me because they say medicare/medicaid wont pay for revisions.  That might be due to Trailblazer that covers all medicare/medicaid billing.  I'm thinking of going out of state at this point.

MediCARE will pay for revisions, if you qualify. Call Medicare directly.

I have alled Medicare.  medicare does not preapprove for surgery.  In TX the doctors do the surgery, submit to medicare and are supposed to be paid.  BUT...Trailblazer is the co that handles medicare billing.  Trailblazer has a different set of rules and they will deny the revision (just like they would deny the original surgery if a 6 month supervised diet wasnt done).  NO dr will take me.  they all say the same thing and Medicare can't help me.  For my original surgery, the hospital was paid, all of my office appts were paid but the surgeon was not.  This is a pattern here in TX.

I realized when I spoke to the insurance (Healthfirst-Medicaid) I just asked about getting WLS not whether a revision was covered. I am going to call them back and ask them ask about revisions specifically.

Try and calling and speaking to them directly. I remember when I was getting my 1st surgery, the dr's office called me after giving me a date and told me that they are sorry and I would have to do a 6mos supervised diet per the insurance. I knew this wasn't true because I had already asked the insurance this....long story short, be your own advocate! Best of luck!!

As far as I know medicaid and medicare are 2 very different types of insurance. I have full medicaid of MN.

Mine covers revisions. I'm in month 3 of the 6 month supervised diet. They told me it could be a family physician or a dietitian. I'm pretty sure the supervised diet can be in a different clinic.

Mine will be since I am changing surgeons.

I got the lap band in July of 2007 as well. I ha vent lost any weight since then. No mechanical failure, its just not working. I get food stuck too and it takes a long time for me to eat.

Have you thought about the DS? I know my medicaid will cover RNY revision, they will do a DS if BMI is 50 or above. I have a BMI of 48 for sure, I hope that is good enuf for them. Doesn't hurt for me to try.

Good luck with everything and let us know how it goes

Thx Amy...I am researching the DS now but my BMI is right around 40 so I am cutting it close even for the RNY because I don't have any co-morbidities. Getting stuck in public is the most embarrassing thing ever!!!! I just want everything to go smoothly.  I won't have full medicaid I will have an HMO medicaid plan. The surgeon I want to use does not take full medicaid. I will definitely keep you all posted. please let me know ur progress as well

hello..i am currently searching for a physician in the state of virginia that does revision surgery. i had gastric bypass in November 2003 and was pregnant in February 2004. Needless to say.. i was not successful. i really want to revise my surgery so that i can be there for my family. how did you find the doctor who does revisions?

i first looked for surgeons that would take medicaid and from there I called them up and asked.  Are you trying to get the DS or just revise your bypass?

i just want to revise my gastric.