What happens if you lose insurance during WLS process??

Has anyone lost their insurance or got laid off while they were in this process?? If so what happens? What if your surgery is already scheduled?

well in California you have to look up the rules I think your coverage continues but you switch to cobra - sorry I'm not much help but I would look up california medical insurance and cobra info.

I do not have direct experience with this however the one thing you would definitely want to check into is COBRA - if your company is over a certain number of employees by law you must be offered COBRA - you will still have your employers medical insurance however the entire premium would be your responsibility.  The cost would be based on what your employer has been paying for you.  Definitely something to ask your HR department.

Well The thing is is that Kaiser has already authorized my surgery, I work for the school district and with the budget cuts I am worried that I will be laid off like a week before surgery is scheduled.

Shouldn't yoru insurance run through the end of them month,and cover the surgery???  Personally, I am looking at self pay in Mexico

I don't have Kaiser but I know when our insurance switched due to my dad's job ending (in august last yr), it continued until the end of the year and we had until Jan 1st to apply for COBRA. I would call Kaiser and just ask them what would happen. It wouldn't hurt anything and they could give you specifics regarding your surgery. I think most insurances will continue at least until the end of the month.

Good luck and I hope everything works out for the best! And that you don't end up getting laid off. :(

My insurance changed during my process - you just have to follow the rules of whichever company you have when you have your surgery.

If you lose your insurance completely, like others mentioned, check into getting COBRA to extend your coverage. If that's not an option for some reason (it's quite expensive in most cases), then you're pretty much SOL or self-pay until you get new insurance. You'll have to cancel your surgery date.

I am sure it isn't always the same, but I think most places you can get COBRA like the others have said. Especially if it is a school district, they should be mandated to offer COBRA. You will have to pay 100% out of pocket for the premiums, but will most likely still be cheaper than self pay AND you want continuity of coverage because if you lapse in coverage at any point, any new insurance you get could consider your WLS a preexisiting condition and then never cover any expenses related to your WLS. I would be VERY careful with this and make sure T's are crossed if it happens to you. Good luck!

I went from full coverage to COBRA (laid off) to "retiree health" (invoked my retirement benefit after a few months--not old enough for medicare)---basically all with the same ins company involved. Not a glitch in the WLS coverage even though the retiree program is more restrictive in many areas of coverage.

Check with your benefits coordinator before it happens so you don't get stuck without WLS coverage.