February 13, 2008!
As some of you know, I have made the decision that the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy ("VSG" or "the Sleeve") is the right choice for my WLS, even though my original path on this journey was going to be RNY. My surgeon, Dr. Patrick Chiasson, submitted me for approval with special documentation on the VSG and why it was the appropriate surgery for me instead of RNY, but PacifiCare denied the surgery (big surprise
) because it still considers the Sleeve "experimental" and my policy only covers the RNY. My surgeon did a "peer-to-peer review" with the Medical Director of PacifiCare of Arizona after the denial, but with no success. I can go through a formal appeal, but don't have a great shot at winning, given the exclusion in my policy, and don't want to delay my journey any longer.
I am going self-pay, biting the "home equity loan" bullet and financing the surgery through my mortgage lender. The loan closes tomorrow and will fund next week, and then I get to start writing checks.
The surgery expenses will be tax deductible for 2008 and the interest on the home equity loan may also be deductible, so I will get at least some of the money back. In addition, I will try to appeal the denial by PacifiCare to see whether I can get insurance to cover at least part of the WLS...
I have a pre-op teaching class and meeting with my surgeon scheduled for January 24 and will do my lab tests on February 11. I'm not as excited this time as I was back in June when I got approved for RNY with Dr. Schwartz (bless his heart), but I'm still very pleased to be moving forward on the journey.
I will keep you all posted as to my experiences. Since Teenieleenie has been pretty quiet on this Forum these last couple of months, I may be the only Sleeve TTer for a while, but I look forward to sharing my journey with all of you! Oh, and since my "Leo" surgery was cancelled last summer, I guess I will be reborn as an "Aquarius" instead - this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, Aquarius, Aquarius!
