Koolkatva

I think with any surgery we question our decision!!! But I think we also over stress outselves and sometimes overthing things. I am sure you will be just fine and come through with flying colors and be a healthier Mother with a lot more energy to enjoy your children. Keep us posted!!

A week ago they submitted my paperwork to Cigna for approval. I got the call yesterday with a surgical date. September 14th will change my life for the better. :thumbup:

Cahnge for the better. You and I are about the same size! I have Cigna insurance and after the 6 months supervised diet and a trip to the nutritionist and the Psychiatrist, my insurace approved me for sleeve surgery. I wish you the best of luck. With most insurances it is either the higher BMI or high BMI with co-morbidity issues.

Von, I called 4 days after my paperwork was submitted and was told that the hospital stay has been approved, but there was no approval for the surgery....yet. The surgeon's office said I would know in 2-3 weeks. I wish you luck. Hang in there, I know waiting is the hardest part!!

My file has now been turned over to the insurance for their approval. I am hoping they will call me in the next 2-3 weeks with approval and a surgery date....fingers crossed. Does anyone know how long it usually takes Cigna to approve?

Yeah, I would have gone three with Blue Point!! My co-pay for the doctor is $25 so it would have all worked out the same, just would have been done a lot faster and not have taken so many days off from work. Hard to work in DC and have doctors in Lorton, take an entire day off just to go to the doctor!

You know for once being a loser isn't a bad thing!!! How many required classes do you have to attend? I had to go to 6 continuous doctor appointments (one a month for six months). Stay focused on the final prize...the tool!!!

I am with you on the sooner the better. I have been working on this since last September and did have to wait until the middle of May until Cigna decided to start covering the sleeve, but now I feel like I am finally on my way. I won't say it has been easy, but the determination is finally paying off. Keep me posted.

OH my...I am so glad you are not paying out of pocket. I am in Woodbridge, VA. Ruth just submitted my file to Cigna for approval. I hope to have a date in 2-3 weeks. When I spoke to Ruth last week she said they were scheduleing sleeve surgery in August and September as of now.

good luck to you Connie. I am sorry you are doing this out of pocket. Since you live so close, who is doing your surgery? Are you having it at the new hospital? Dr. Halmi?

Von82B, I am in the same boat. I have completed everything and today they submitted my file to Cigna for approval. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the approval comes quickly. I am excited to get a sugery date. Have you gotten your date yet? How long did it take for you to get your approval?

My psychologist was covered by my insurance, so I just had to pay the co-pay. The nutritionist was an entirely different story.

So Cigna has come through with approving VSG as a covered surgery. I have all my work done and hope to get everything to the coordinator to get insurance approval. I know my surgeon is not scheduling for June, but I would like to have my surgery at the end of July (works better with my daughter's schedule). I am wondering how long most people are out on leave after having the surgery. Thanks for helping me plan.

I commute to work an hour and 30 minutes each way and walk about 1/2 mile to get to work. I work as a legal secretary, so most of my work is sitting down.

PNW...OMG...I was expecting something like 4-6 weeks off post sleeve surgery.

Thank you so much. I have completed all of my pre-insurance approval testing and am waiting on everyone to submit their reports. The phycological evaluation report had my names spelled wrong and the wrong birth date on it, so I have wait for her to prepare it with the corrected information and then I can submit it. The insurance/flexible spending department is having a huge issue with paying for my nutritional evaluation. Hopefully I took care of that on Monday. I am super excited. I have a meeting set with my HR department to go over short-term disability and my time of leave. Can anyone give me some idea of how long I will need to take off from work for the VSG? Anxiously awaits for everything to fall into place.

I have completed the pre-testing for the Realize Band and have now changed my mind. I want to have the Gastric Sleeve. I am waiting for Cigna insurance to review their policy and pray that they include the sleeve as a coverage WLS. So now I wait for their review in May. IS anyone else in the same situation?

Thank you. Cigna just approved this during the past couple of day. I have completed all of my pre-surgery approval tests and am waiting for everyone to get their paperwork in to try to obtain surgery approval. I hope to hav emy paperwork in for approval by this time next week. Wish me luck. Thank you Cigna!!!

Carrie, I am so excited for you. I am sure you will do great. By the numbers it looks like you are off to a wonderful start. I know you have the right attitude to get this done and you will feel like a new person. The person you have been in a long while. Be smart, do what you are told to do and above all watch out for those nasty bad habits! Love you girl and best wishes. I can't wait to hear how it goes and see pictures. <3 :confused1:

Carrie, Just remember the liquid diet is really a reduced fat diet to shrink the size of your liver, which partially overlays yours stomach. This allows the doctor easier access to your stomach to do your surgery without the chance of accidentally cutting your liver. There is good to come out of this torture. My surgeon requires a high Protein diet, but your purchase it from him. 2 weeks is $240. He swears by the diet and that way he knows what you have been eating (or suppose to be eating) and the size your liver should be. I wish you luck and hope to be in your situation in a few months.

KELLY...squeeeeeeelll I just added you as a friend and I posted on Kelly's page. I have been to the seminar...it is very cool and informative. My insurance requires 6 months of continuous physician supervised weight loss. I just finished that. I need to do my sleep study test and i will be ready. My insurance will pay for 100% of the band or gastric by-pass however because the sleeve is so new they still consider it experimental. They will review their policy mid May..so I wait. I am dedicated to getting this surgery and really don't want to have to settle because of the insurance. I am so glad you are looking into this. I know it means big changes in our life, but I think when you get to a point you are so ready for those changes. Sometimes you just can't do it on your own. I am excited for Carrie and can't wait to hear how it goes. I agree with the support from people we know. I find this sight has a lot of good information! Keep me posted on how the seminar goes.