Approved Approved Approved!!! - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

snick1899 · 05-02-2008, 03:58 PM

I got my approval letter in the mail today!!!!!!!!!!! They approved me for the open procedure though and not the laparoscopic (sp?) procedure. Anyone have any ideas on why this might be? I thought there was more healing time involved with the open procedure and more risk, blah blah, yadda yadda. Don't get me wrong, if that's what they approved me for, I'll take it! I was just wondering why one was prefered over the other. So excited!

audiebaby · 05-02-2008, 04:41 PM

yeah!!! congrats I can imagine how excited you must of been!!!!

Squishy · 05-02-2008, 05:06 PM

Congratulations!!!

It is always such a great milestone in this process! I'm not sure why insurance would approve open over Lap. I always thought that it was the surgeon and patient's decision which procedure to have.

Mrs Squishy and I both had open and it went well. IF you add up the length of all the lap incisions, they might just be the same total length of the open scar.

Congratulations again!!!
-Mike-

snick1899 · 05-02-2008, 07:29 PM

Did you experience any lengthier healing times with the open, or is it all pretty much the same? I just want to try to take no more than 2 weeks off work, my boss isn't thrilled about me leaving to have the surgery. He considers it "elective." ugh. The views of the skinny people! ;-)

sherry7 · 05-03-2008, 09:08 PM

Congrats on your approval.

I just got approved this week too, so I know how giddy it makes you feel.

More than likely the people at your doctors office just submitted it with the wrong insurance code. It happened a week or two ago with another member, and she was approved for the lap band instead of the gastric bypass she (and her surgeon) wanted. It just needs to be resubmitted by the doctors office, and it can get fixed. Not a problem, it'll just take an extra couple of days...definitely not worth the extra pain and recovery time of having an open procedure if there is no medical reason to do so.

snick1899 · 05-04-2008, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherry7

Congrats on your approval.

I just got approved this week too, so I know how giddy it makes you feel.

More than likely the people at your doctors office just submitted it with the wrong insurance code. It happened a week or two ago with another member, and she was approved for the lap band instead of the gastric bypass she (and her surgeon) wanted. It just needs to be resubmitted by the doctors office, and it can get fixed. Not a problem, it'll just take an extra couple of days...definitely not worth the extra pain and recovery time of having an open procedure if there is no medical reason to do so.

Thanks for the tip! I was gonna call them on Monday to let them know I got approved (although I thought it was weird that no one from the office called me when they got the letter faxed over, I only found out because I got my letter in the mail), I will ask them if there was a reason it was approved for the open procedure or if it was an error. Man, this has been the longest weekend, just sitting on this! I want to talk to the dr's office so bad! lol

Congrats on getting approved yourself! Does everyone think you are strange that you are excited about surgery? All my coworkers are like "You realize it's not normal to get excited about surgery, right? Most people dread it when they find out they are having surgery..." lol

Godsblessedme · 05-04-2008, 10:02 AM

Congratulations!!! It may be that they approved it open just in case you needed it open. But ultimatly its the surgeons decision

snick1899 · 05-04-2008, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godsblessedme

Congratulations!!! It may be that they approved it open just in case you needed it open. But ultimatly its the surgeons decision

I thought it mnay be something like that too, so I called the insurance company, but they approved it with a specific procedure number which was only for open. I will hopefully find out more from my doctor tomorrow.

MiladyB · 05-04-2008, 10:41 AM

First of all congratulations! It is exciting when you get approved.

I certainly would double check with the doctor's office. Like Sherry mentioned they may have just used the wrong code.

There is a increased risk of infection having it done open, increased healing time and increased risk of developing a hernia later on down the line. If there is no medical reason that you should have it done open or if your surgeon doesn't do lap (some don't) I don't see why an insurance company would opt to have it open vs lap.

Blue eyed G · 05-04-2008, 05:21 PM

congrats and good luck on being a loser