Thread: I am looking into having lapband surgery but I need a health insurance plan that will cover the surgery!?

I may need an individual policy but really unsure please help!!!

If you are overweight, it may be tough to find an individual policy that will cover you. Also, there may be pre-existing condition clauses that would limit this surgery. Your best bet is to go to work for a company that has a group plan that includes coverage for morbid obesity. Good luck.

Very few insurance policies pay for weight loss surgery.

However, you can see if your Dr will accept Care Credit. I've seen this most frequently at vet's offices but it's not just for animals. It can also be used to finance procedures for people.

www.carecredit.com

Well, good luck on that individual policy. Insurance companies don't HAVE to take you, and if they do, they'll exclude coverage for stuff that's already wrong with you, like obesity. BUT, if you're obese, they're likely to just flat out decline you, because of all the extra health issues involved.

They're in business to make money - so they can stay in business. They aren't going to knowingly take on an insured who is GOING to cost them more than they pay in.

Many states allow insurance companies to flat out exclude weight loss surgeries, like lapband, also.

Your BEST bet is to get onto a group policy through your employer. And if you can't get coverage through your employer, you'll just have to come up with the money for it yourself.

You're not likely to have any luck in the individual health insurance market. If you're obese enough that the surgery is medically necessary, most individual insurance policies will refuse coverage to you. And any company that might offer coverage to you would exclude weight loss surgeries.

Your best bet for potential coverage would be through an employer group policy.

Obviously, being covered under an employer policy is no guarantee that you'll have coverage for lapband. First, the policy has to be one that does not exclude lapband procedures. And then, you have to go through the prior approval process to demonstrate medical necessity.

Despite those difficulties, employer group coverage is still far more likely to be an avenue to cover such a procedure for you than any individual policy.

Some will, some won't. I use a medical discount plan; it has no pre-existing condition stipulations and you can use it for lapban. A patient advocate will go to the hospital and negotiate your bill for you. Worth a try anyway www.betterbenefits.info