mandyg

i dont have a max per year..i have BCBS basic which has no deductibles...o/t this me (and my family r pretty healthy thank goodness)..so the the no deductible thing is usually a good thing for us. with these fills..maybe not so much. but i talked it out with my very supportive husband and im not going to let this set me back. i am just going to budget for 1 to 1 1/2 yrs of fills every 6-8 weeks (which will be anywhere from $800 - $1000) and set the money aside for it. honestly i was just mad at myself for this not even occuring to me in first place..u know?? but at least i found out abt it early and not at my first fill date..lol...im just going to use this as even more incentive to do well at this thing! and i keep telling myself..its not like i will have to get a fill every 6 weeks the rest of my life..once i start to hit a steady wt loss and then get to my goal...the cost for fills wont be so much. because other than this cost..i have only had to pay $35 copay at each surgeon appt and to see the required speacilists...so as far out out of pocket expense..i havent had much up to this point. so im should feel blessed abt this...

well i just found out something that really set me bACK for a minute...i am pretty organized girl and thought i asked all the right ?s during this process...but i forgot to ask one important ?.. i have Blue Blue shield Fed insurance. i have had to pay $35.oo co-pay each time i have seen the surgeon for my pre-approval process. so i just assumed once i started going to get my band filled, that would be what i would be paying. i havent read anything different, when i called ins company when i started this process, they never mentioned it and the surgoen office didnt mention this. but i got to thinkg and figured i better not assume..i called ins company and surgoen office and they both told me that i will have to pay $150 each time i get my bad filled bc my ins company considers the fills as an "out patient procedure"....i was really upset when i first heard this and kinda got depressed about if this was all worth it. but after talking it all out with my husband and friends, i am still proceeding with my surgery. i have already invested so much time, money and work into this and thank goodness i can finacially afford these co-pays. i have a friend who had lap ban done a few yrs ago and has united healthcare for her ins and she says she hasnt had to pay anything for her fills all this time..the only reason im posting this is because i cant imagine im the only person who didnt know that there could be larger co-pays for the fills. as i said, its not going to stop my from doing this but im just glad i found out now and can plan accordingly versus finding out when i got there for my first fill!!!!! so just FYI for everyone else.....

i have mine scheduled for march 14! i have already started the protein shakes too. i am so excited and a bit nervous all at same time. its cool to think this time next year will be a whole new me! glad to be on this site w you all!

i have BCBS fed 2! i had a 3 mnth pre approval process. i had to see the surgeon and a nutritionist montlhy x 3 mnths, had to see a psychtriatrist once. i had to get recommendation letter from my primary care doctor. this has kept me very busy over the last few months. after getting all this done, it took BCBS about 4 weeks to approve my surgery (some of that time was due to holidays im sure). then i had to get a stress test and pulmonary function test and chest xray per the surgeon to be cleared for surgery. just look at it as hoops to jump through but it will be worth it. some insurances require 6 mnth pre-approval so i was just glad to only have 3mnths! good luck!