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Post by wanttolose on Apr 16, 2012 8:31:52 GMT -5
Does anyone's insurance cover the vitamins and supplements required post op? I was just told by my principal insurance that it does not cover this. I find it very strange. They cover the surgery yet they don't cover the preventative supplementation in vitamins and minerals that if not taken could lead to some very serious health problems that they would then have to cover through treatment! Very odd... I am checking with my supplementary insurance which covers naturopathic medicine. Perhaps they cover this. I just ordered a 90 day package from vitalady and it is in the 250$ range for 3 months... not huge but still over the years it will add up I suppose.
My insurance is so weird. They cover alcohol swabs and the yellow blood products waste basket that the doctor prescribed me for my blood testing for the blood sugar. Cotton, alcohol imbibed swabs were covered!!! Can you imagine!! and they don't cover vitamins and calcium and such? Seems really very very strange. I am going to appeal this...
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Post by vanishingmom on Apr 16, 2012 8:46:34 GMT -5
Most insurances will cover some forms of vitamins (normally oil based) HOWEVER they won't cover the ones we particularly need.
For instance, they covered an oil based vitamin supplement for when my son had Ricketts.
As far as the price goes, yes it's costly but you need to take some things into consideration. 1. Get your lab work done, I promise you that your vitamin needs will change with time. Sometimes less, sometimes more. You need to take that part into consideration. 3 years from now your vitamin needs may cause you to spend more money (but hopefully less).
Also, price shop. Vitaladys prices are really good but if you shop at bulk stores and are really good at coupon clipping and bargain hunting you'd be surprised at how much money you can save. I rely on this.
Bariatric Advantage does do an emergency 3 months supply which I signed up for to get me started. They don't supply you with enough of what we need. They cater to more of the RNY folk so beware if you see this mentioned in passing. I ended up with Vitaladys starter package because of this and I'm so glad I did.
Lastly, think about the lifestyle you live now. The price of plus sized clothes. The food we shovel into our mouths. I have found that it's a pretty even trade off. I don't spend any more on vitamins than I did for those things. Even little things like my laundry being cheaper because my clothes are smaller make a difference.
*edited to clarify what vitamins are covered*
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Post by wanttolose on Apr 16, 2012 8:54:14 GMT -5
Oh for sure I think I am better off even if I have to pay for them but I just find it so counterintuitive that they would pay for the surgery and yet they won't pay for the after care - at least not the vitamin part of the after care. And when I compare to the waste basket and alcohol swabs I just can't get my mind around that!
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Post by vanishingmom on Apr 16, 2012 8:59:04 GMT -5
Oh for sure I think I am better off even if I have to pay for them but I just find it so counterintuitive that they would pay for the surgery and yet they won't pay for the after care - at least not the vitamin part of the after care. And when I compare to the waste basket and alcohol swabs I just can't get my mind around that! Oh I know it sounds ridiculous but in the long run the battle you would have with them for your specific vitamin needs probably isn't worth it. For instance most surgeon have a very minimum vitamin requirement but as the vetts will be sure to tell you, those vitamins are never enough. I'm sure if insurance did cover them they would never cover what we actually need. They would end up turning into politics. |
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Post by wanttolose on Apr 17, 2012 1:12:18 GMT -5
I wrote to the insurance medical advisor and he wrote back saying they will review the script and do their best to reimburse. Good answer.
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