Toying with the idea??? To call or not to call? - ThinnerTimes

FORmyself · 03-16-2008, 08:50 AM

I went to the seminar last Saterday and turned in my packet on Monday (hand delivered as to decrease length of time) and the head nurse of the biariatric program said that the surgeon will look it over than if I qualify than she would call me for a consult in about two days. Well....it's been a week on Monday. The paper work stated that this is not an overnight process so please be patient and that they would call me, however, I have not recieved a call yet. Should I call them tomorrow (Monday)? or wait it out?

My big delema is dut to my insurance wants 6 months supervised diet before approving for WLS and I have my referral all set up for the start of the diet however this nurse told me at the seminar to NOT send it in yet because she might get me approved without the 6 month diet wait. ??????

I have already waited 2 years to make sure this is the right decision for me and my family and now that I have researched and decided on going through with it I want to get it going. URGGGGGG

Thanks for listening
any advice will be very welcoming

Cat

rappaport · 03-16-2008, 09:32 AM

I would give it a few more days, Wednesday maybe. Mondays are horrible days, just dozens of messages for them to sort through. If they're anything like my surgeons office, they're understaffed and overwhelmed. And I always found that being pleasant and thanking the person I'm talking to helped me get the things I needed. Lord knows, the majority of people who call do nothing but complain.

VTMoondog · 03-16-2008, 11:39 AM

At my hospital, it is about 6 months or so, once you enter the program, before you go under the knife....I started on Nov 1 last year, and am only now awaiting the call to schedule surgery if BCBS approves me. Patience grasshopper.....
In the meantime, I STRONGLY suggest to you to do what I have been doing, and that is...hit the gym 5-6 days a week, faithfully!!!! You will thank me later I assure you

-s-

LoriAnn925 · 03-19-2008, 09:05 AM

Cat, I personally would probably go ahead and start my 6 month supervised diet, especially if the insurance company requires it. That way you're ahead of the game if it takes them a few weeks to get back to you. I know when I started this process I was very impatient. They told me they would call in a few days, and it ended up being over 3 weeks before they called me to scheduled the first consult, and that appointment was 3 weeks out as well. If I had started my 6 month diet then, I could have been approved 2 months earlier. Good luck.

nextbigloser · 03-19-2008, 09:12 AM

I was told to wait too because they thought they could get it approved with out a 12 month supervised diet. I waited 2 months thinking this is 2 months I can't get back if I don't get the ok but I did. I was approved with no wait.

soon2bthin · 03-19-2008, 09:15 AM

You go ahead and call girl!! What is the worst they are gonna do to you over the phone. Good luck and keep us posted.

Cassie

Snow-Belle · 03-23-2008, 10:07 PM

Greetings Cat!
When I first called my insurance company (AETNA), I was told I would have no waiting period if it was deemed medically necessary by my doctor--I have since learned not to believe a single word you hear when calling AETNA to check what is and what isn't covered beforehand-the people you talk to are basically a font of mis-information.

After I found out 6 month supervised diet due to my insurance my insurance--I was horribly surprised to find the clock didn't start 'ticking' until I actually saw the Nutritionist... I was angry because my appointment with the Bariatric physician was in the beginning of January but because they had no openings with the Nutritionist (and I had to use 'their' people) until the END of February, it basically added a month to my '6' month wait.

Good Luck....let us know how it goes...