What does insurance cover?

[icarus96]

I have GHI and I am woundering what does insurance normally cover?  Some of the pre-op?  All of the pre-op?  Does it cover all the different proceedures like Lap-Band or only bypass?  Does it cover the follow up visits?  I have been thinking about the surgery for a while now (several years) and would like to know what I'm instore for.  I am planing on attending the Aug 26 meeting and have an appointment on Aug 22 with the doctor.

[David Buchin, MD FACS]

GHI covers everything.  They cover all of the preop visits to all of the doctors and the postop care for bariatric surgery.  It covers the Lap Band and the Bypass but not the sleeve.  The only problem with GHI is that they require a 6 month medically supervised diet.  The diet has to be monitored by your doctor or a weight management center which has a doctor on staff.  That is their way of discouraging you from having the surgery.
Hope this helped.
Dr. Buchin

[icarus96]

That's good.  I have an appointment on this Friday 08/22/08.  So does that mean the earliest I can have the surgery, if I decide to go thru with it, is 6 months from that date.. .... give or take a few days?

[David Buchin, MD FACS]

if you've seen your doctor for the last 6 consecutive months and he has made a comment about your weight and discussed diet with you during the visit and hes documented that in his office notes...  then you can have the surgery as soon as you get all of your clearances...  you've filled GHI's quota.  If you haven't done that then most likely you will have the surgery in late february or early march of next year.
Dr Buchin

[icarus96]

Dr. Buchin I do have some other questions but since I will be in tomarrow I will go over in person.
Thanks