BMI... the scary future no one is really talking about.

I work in health care. If you think that losing weight is something that you need to do just for you... think again. It is something you may need to do for your family as well. I am talking about insurance....

You may have seen my post yesterday where I said that I could not get referred to a plastic surgeon for a needed breast reduction, until I got my BMI under 29. I have back pain everyday all day... another orthopedic surgeon who was seeing me for a work related claim, said that a breast reduction would solve a lot of my problem, and that it was the weight on my chest, that was exacerbating my work related issue. Still no go. Have to lose the 43lbs first. If I were thin, I could just be referred and have the surgery, even if I did not have a medical reason for needing it. Now I have the right to go out of plan and PAY for it. But, who has 10,000 dollars just sitting around.

I should tell you that the health plan I work for is declining to cover people with BMI that are high, even border line. If you have any other conditions you can forget it. I had a family the other day who could not get coverage for everyone, because some of the kids where overweight.

We can not change jobs, unless they offer coverage for the whole family despite pre-existing conditions. Weight being one of them. Some companies will cover the employee, but not the family members ... even if you are willing to pay.

Life insurance is another big one...

I can not get life insurance that I can afford, because of my BMI and hypertension. We need more insurance just to have, and to buy a home. Can not get it. It is really scary... that your weight can keep you from doing basic things you need to.

So... if you needed another motivator... here it is.

 

I have 36% body fat, overweight yes, but my BMI is a lot higher than I appear and my body fat indicates, because I have a large amount of muscle mass.  I have been denied life insurance.   I decided that I would lose the weight before even approaching my physicians about breast reduction surgury.

There are other reasons for losing the weight before the surgery though.  People who are very much overweight have increased infection, greater chance of staying on a ventalator longer, and more likely to have an "operative event" (bad things that happen in the OR, that may or may not have a bad outcome, ie codes, clots). Anyone who is more than 20lbs overweight should consider losing weight before undergoing any type of surgery.

not a big suprise now that obesity is fighting smoking for that number one killer spot.  I actually have plans to stop the smoking after I stop the obesity lol

You are correct about the operative risk of being overweight. I agree wholeheartedly, and would have lost weight whether there was a BMI requirement or not. To be honest I am surgery phobic. After my c-section, I know how much harder it is to heal a wound when you are obese...especially an abdominal one. I just think it is not fair for them to set an arbitrary BMI number. To be honest I have not weighted 140lbs since I was in high school. And that last time I was 170 was before I had my 2nd child. It just seems so daunting. I wish they would take it case by case. I can not even talk to the plastic surgeon for a consult...until I lose all the weight. He may look at my frame and think that 20 lbs or 30 lbs may be enough... not over 40lbs. I just hate the fact that I have to remain in pain until I lose weight. greater motivation I guess. Hey...maybe i will lose so much weight I will not need a reduction. Although i doubt it ...i have had large breast my whole life...even when I was 140lbs.

" If I were thin, I could just be referred and have the surgery, even if I did not have a medical reason for needing it. Now I have the right to go out of plan and PAY for it. But, who has 10,000 dollars just sitting around."

 Breast reductions performed on normal weight women are most often deemed "cosmetic" and cost the same $10,000 as you're talking about. Only in the most extreme cases, where a woman has records of medical care received over time to treat severe back problems, will insurance cover the surgery. I had one myself. And 100% of it came out of my pocket.

To be frank, if you work in healthcare I would imagine you would already know this.

i had a friend with a similar situation who had a breast reduction completely paid for by insurance. she was very heavy and managed to loose weight but not enought to be in a healthy bmi although it took her a long time and a lot of different dr.'s


but i def. hear you.


and why do these turn in to arguments? maybe she's is new to working for health care giver her the benefit of the doubt you dont know who she is.

Or maybe.. she knows what she is talking about for her situation? And from what I hear, she has quite a lot of documentation to support her claim of back pain and justify the surgery to insurance. But whatever.

That's correct. She does appear to have documentation and plenty of support for her claim.  I was objecting to her claim of fact toward a situation she is in fact ignorant to; a normal weight/thin girl electing to reduce the size of her breasts. I isolated the quote where she announced that if she were thin, insurance would spring for her surgery. In fact she does know quite a bit about her own situation, and only her own. I don't run around claiming I know what would happen if I were in hers. Per her comment, I'm just clarifying that she is wrong in her assertion of what happened in mine. I applaud her knowing her own medical situation thoroughly, it's the only responsible way. I certainly hope she receives the best results in her health, physical and mental. Bluntly put, perhaps her focus would become more optomistic if she weren't angry at the (false) idea that a different sized girl automatically gets insurance-covered surgery.

the insurance business is all about numbers.  fat people are not good bets.  the only way around it is mandatory enrollment in a socialized health care system that entitles everyone to equal care.

Ahhh...SOMEONE has been watching the dem debates, huh pgeorgian? Lol...I agree though.