Listen up:Insurance: Before and After Lap Band Surgery

This has been something I have been meaning to talk about for some time. But kept forgetting ( damn topamax ) its been an issue for me again so i'll talk about it now.
First a little back ground. When we owned our own company we needed to get private health insurance. So I called the agent, went over everything with him and he called me in his office to go over everything. Keep in mind I was still 250 pounds at the time. In the office was him, the owner of the company and some other dip shit woman.
I guess they thought they would woo me because I owned this little company and they thought they could get more business out of us. They proceed to tell me the cost of the boys insurance as well as my husbands . Ok fine , (BTW Cost of private health insurance is NOT that expensive ) Then the dip shit woman looks at me and says " We cant insure you " I said " WHAT " She said " YOUR UNINSUREABLE " I said " why cause of my migraines again " She said " You cant and wont get coverage because your too Obese!"
NOW I was FURIOUS. First off You do NOT SAY to a WOMAN in front of a room full of people " SORRY YOUR TOO FAT you cant get insurance . She should have warned me ahead of time that that MIGHT BE AN ISSUE with the insurance . Not to BLAST it out . I was HUMILIATED . Then she says " SO you want to go ahead and sign here for the boys and your husband " I said " NOPE I WILL NOT " They looked at me like i was crazy . That's when i looked at stupid woman and said " First off as a WOMAN you should have more sympathy for another woman to know you dont tell them " SORRY you cant get insurance cause your too FAT in front of other people let alone men , you should have taken me aside . Second off you all new my height and weight , you do this daily you knew damn well when i spoke to you on the phone i could have possibly gotten denied due to my weight . So a LITTLE Heads up on that would have been nice" .
That was one reason I got the surgery .

Now fast forward a few yrs to post surgery . I asked someone after getting surgery about getting insurance. They took my info ( BTW my BMI was normal at this time)
and when they called me back the agent told me . I am sorry but we cant find anyone to insure you your " Uninsureable" WTF ? For what NOW , Im normal weight, no longer Obese ? Why now ? The reason ... THE BAND.. Because I have the band , its considered a forigen object in my body NO ONE and I mean NO ONE will insure me . They wont even put a ryder on the policy that excludes anything to do with the band.

NOW I will say I have Two options . One option and not the best . But it is one is::
Most states have what's called a high risk health pool . For people who can not get insurance ANYWHERE else , were denied , the risk pool insurance will cover you . The catch . For JUST ME its nearly $600 a month . Its a pretty good policy . Like i said though its expensive .

For FYI here is a list of other states that have risk pool plans.

The second option . A group plan . IF I could ever find a job , group plans cant deny you for preexisting conditions, SO i have been told.
So once i find a job , once i get benefits i should be ok.

Why am i telling you this ? To scare the hell out of you if you dont have insurance and tell you not to get the band ? NO NOT AT ALL.
Im telling you so your aware. So you can have a plan in place.
If your someone who works in a work place that has group plans, its not an issue.
If you have private insurance and you get the surgery , to be honest im not sure what happens ? If they can drop you or not ?
I would think no ? But im not 100% sure on that.
My point , just be aware. That if you have to you might have to get on a risk pool insurance if you have other conditions that warrant long term care.

Just thought i would share !!!