Obamacare repeal: will insurance still cover VSG?
White_Pumpkin
Posts: 12 Member
Does anyone know if VSG will still be covered if the Republicans repeal Obamacare/ACA? I heard that employer insurance started covering it because of the ACA requiring Medicaid to cover it and the Senate is planning to undo Medicaid expansion. We dont know exactly what's in tne senate bill (I hope they let us see it before they vote!), but does anyone know how WLS would be affected by the House Trumpcare bill or changes to Medicaid? If I get the sleeve, it will probably be in 6+ months-- would the Republican changes be implemented by then?
I'm also worried about preexsisting conditions no longer being required to be covered at affordable rates and how will that affect follow up care or complications of wls if I ever have to change insurance. I heard high risk pools mean very high rates. Don't you love dealing with health insurance!
I'm also worried about preexsisting conditions no longer being required to be covered at affordable rates and how will that affect follow up care or complications of wls if I ever have to change insurance. I heard high risk pools mean very high rates. Don't you love dealing with health insurance!
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Is all up in the air at this point, but from a political standpoint, it's not in their best interest for any senator to vote on a bill so controversial (even with revisions to the version passed by the House). Mid-terms are next year and a vote in a bill that would strip millions of people of health insurance is not a good political move.
It's truly a "wait and see" game.1 -
I was worried about this as well. I hope you can keep your coverage and get your surgery. Try to stay positive 1
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Fingers crossed for everyone in this uncertain situation. I'm once again grateful that I'm in Canada with all that universal healthcare. RNY and sleeve are covered 100% by the government.4
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White_Pumpkin wrote: »I'm also worried about preexsisting conditions no longer being required to be covered at affordable rates and how will that affect follow up care or complications of wls if I ever have to change insurance.
Agree with this, but also that only matters if you have complications from WLS. You definitely will have complications from excess weight.
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@RedfootDaddy Yes, wish we had that here. Heathcare shouldn't be reserved for just people with jobs, the rich or the very poor. There's a lot of folks in the middle that get left out of life-saving procedures because of our politics.2
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Actually the majority of employer healthcare plans stopped covering WLS with the inception of Obamacare (Obamacare made it possible for employers to pick and choose what they had to cover). I can't speak for Medicaid but most employers make a point of excluding it from their plans these days. It's why I had to self-pay. I had a full time job, paid an expensive health insurance premium but surgery still wasn't covered. I saved money for over ayear and also took out a loan to pay for my VSG.3
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Yes, @Robin628 , I was lucky and my employers ins did cover it. I can guarantee less and less health plans will cover it if "Trumpcare" ever gets passed.0
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I'm a state employee in Texas and my employer-sponsored plan did not cover WLS. It also didn't cover IVF, so I basically pay out-of-pocket whenever I really need medical care. #bitterpartyofone2
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RedfootDaddy wrote: »Fingers crossed for everyone in this uncertain situation. I'm once again grateful that I'm in Canada with all that universal healthcare. RNY and sleeve are covered 100% by the government.
I'm grateful I'm in Canada too - where my taxes allow the government to offer to all. I wish Ontario would join other provinces and look at more than the panni for skin removal post-surgery (which is one thing I like about the US - insurance approval for the surgery usually means approval for the skin removal after)1 -
@jenhasit Actually, skin removal coverage in U.S. is rare unless "medically neccesary". I know multiple people personally on different plans and none offer it unless extreme circumstances.2
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I stand corrected. Thanks for letting me know.0
