Where do I start? - Page 3 - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

watfam4 · 04-07-2009, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glocks90

Who knows I think i can go to a seminar on thursday and see what they say to do.

This is EXACTLY what you need to be doing. Get your information together, find out if this is something you really want to do, and THEN start making plans.

In the doctor's (or PA's) defense, I would not recommend WLS to anyone just based on their weight. This is a serious surgery to deal with serious health issues (current and/or impending).

joy1968 · 04-07-2009, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glocks90

Hello everyone I am new, I have been thinking about the lap band ever since my brother worked for inamed, and he told me about it. I am 100 lbs over weight and have been chubby forever. I just started going to a new pcp and he doesn't agree with surgery, great. Said diet and excersize is all I need, well i have been dieting my whole life and it hasn't worked. I have Health net HMO and they cover it if I meet all the criteria. My husband says we just can't afford to pay out of pocket, I have signed up on what seems like every lap band website no reply. I don't know where to start. Do I have to shop around for a PCP that will help me? What do I do next?

HMOs require a PCP referral to a bariatric surgeon. I'd start looking for a PCP who is supportive of WLS.

joy1968 · 04-07-2009, 10:55 PM

HMOs require PCP referral for most if not all specialty physicians.

BigBob · 04-08-2009, 02:07 PM

Well I am now 6 weeks after the Insurance had received the paperwork. I called at the 30 day mark and they told me that they were going to escalate to a priority level and that I should hear something from the surgeons office within a week. I called today and there still has not been any movement on my paperwork the CSR could not tell me how long it could take at this point also.

I know by reading alot of the stories on here that 6 weeks is not very long. But it is frustrating that the surgeons office pretty much can't due anything until approval is obtained and the insurance is dragging there feet at this point. What are you to do? I have started my diet in case the insurance comes back and states you have to have a 6 month diet. But to tell you the truth I don't even know if this diet would be suffiecient to the insurance company.