Luvin_Life125

Cigna requires a 3 month supervised weight loss attempt. It actually works out to be 4 visits, each a month apart, because you need an initial visit to start the monitorig. Cigna requires the visits take place greater than or equal to at least 89 days. Here is the Cigna policy with all of their requirements. https://cignaforhcp.cigna.com/public/content/pdf/coveragePolicies/medical/mm_0051_coveragepositioncriteria_bariatric_surgery.pdf Let me know if you need help decoding any of their requirements. I hope this helps!

I am scheduled for November 11. Surgery can be scary if you don't know what to expect. Please have faith in your surgeon and their staff. This will be my 3rd laparoscopic surgery so I have been through this a few times. My first surgery I had a major met down and panic attack while waiting to go into the operating room. I woke up after surgery wondering why I had gotten so bent out of shape. The fear of the unknown is what did me in. What is your biggest fear about the surgery? Is it the procedure itself? Post op? Once you can narrow down your fears you can then begin to address them.

Good luck!

Siesta Key or Honeymoon Island Flordia for a week of R&R on the beach! My prize when I reach goal is a family vacation to Siesta Key and I can't wait!

Hi everyone! I just got the call to schedule my VSG surgery finally and they booked me for 11/11. I am very disappointed the surgery is booked so far out. I have completed all of my of the pre op requirements for my insurer and received approval last week from insurance. I have plans for a Christmas ski/snowboard vacation with my 2 sons and a 10 day Disney World vacation booked for 10 weeks after surgery and I am afraid this is going to blow everything out of the water. I was hoping for surgery sometime in October and the earlier the better so I am frustrated to say the least. Reasonably, I know 4 weeks doesn't really matter in the whole big picture of time, but it just royally screwed my plans. And the fact it is only 2 weeks before Thanksgiving is another thorn in my side. My youngest son has multiple life threatening food allergies and our families don't accommodate his dietary requirements at holiday meals. So, I always have holiday meals at my house for my family unit and cook everything from scratch. Surgery 2 weeks before Thanksgiving isn't part of my plans. I busted my butt to get everything I needed done ASAP to get on the surgical schedule and be as healthy and as far from surgery as I could be before our winter plans hit us. Ok now that I have blown off all of my frustrations I can celebrate the fact that I have completed my pre-op requirements, I have my surgery scheduled and I am moving in the right direction. Thanks for letting me vent to people who understand my frustrations!

LOVE this thread! I am making notes in my journal of all these wonderful products!

Thanks Lipstick Lady! I guess I am unsure about how recovery will be and I don't like to be unsure about things. I have had 2 laparoscopic surgeries (gallbladder & appendix at seperate times) and bounced back from each of those in a few days. I need to just get my head in the right place and soldier on!

Yay! I just got scheduled for November 11! Way later than I wanted, but I guess I will take what I can get.

I just ordered. Over 20 samples from Nashua Nutrition so I have a chance to try a wide variety of brands and flavors after surgery. They are under $2 each and Nashua does sell samples of almost every brand and flavor they sell. I think we all have such different taste and thickness preferences that it is hard to know how well you will like something before you taste it.

I have Cigna OAP and was just approved last week. Cigna's policy as of 05/14 requires 3 months of visits = or > 89 days. Each visit must document your weight, specific diet program, and your current exercise régime. Cigna's wording says 3 months of visits but remember that actually works out to be 4 visits because you need an initial appointment to start the "weight loss program". Google Cigna policy 0051 effective 05/15/2014 https://cignaforhcp.cigna.com/public/content/pdf/coveragePolicies/medical/mm_0051_coveragepositioncriteria_bariatric_surgery.pdf Print this policy out and bring it with you to your weight loss documentation visits to make sure the visits are documented to meet Cigna's requirements. Make sure you also call Cigna to verify your specific policy covers bariatric surgery. Lastly, if your procedure is scheduled to be done as an inpatient procedure Cigna has a 5 business day decision timeline from the date they receive the necessary documents. I just got my approval on Thursday and they took the full 5 business days. Cigna can be a pain sometimes, but as long as you read the policy guidelines and check off your boxes you shouldn't have any problems. Good luck on your journey and make sure you use this time getting ready for surgery to make changes in your lifestyle that will help you after surgery!

I am trying my best to get added to my surgeons schedule on 10/7. I won't have a confirmation until Tuesday or Wednesday. I ordered a ton of different samples from Nashua Nutrition. I think it is close to 20 different brands and flavors so I have plenty to try right after surgery. They offer samples of almost everything they sell for under $2 each. I will check in after I have a confirmation of my date and hopefully I will share the day with you!

I have been on very high doses of multiple narcotics for over 4 years and constipation has been a long time friend. I am really concerned about what post op will be like. I have found three things that make a huge difference and it took 3 years of trial and error, but I promise these work the best out of everything I have tried. I love Smooth Move tea, prune juice, and or dries prunes. I have a collection of every OTC & most of the prescription products available and it turns out the simple things work the best. Good luck everyone!

Congratulations on your amazing success and sharing your honest experience. It is so important to know the negative aspects along with the positives. Thank you for having the courage to share the entirety of your post op experience.

Yay! Congratulations!!!

Hang in there! We are all learning along the path we are traveling. None of us are perfect and we are all learning. Part of learning involves making mistakes and moving forward from the mistakes a little wiser than we were before. I am glad your pre-op diet allows some real food! What a relief to still be able to eat a meal. My pre-op diet is very similar and I am so grateful. My pre op diet allows unlimited vegetables (non-starchy) and one meal following strict guidelines. Keep moving forward and you will get through. One minute at a time!

Congrats!

I just got off the phone with a rep at Cigna and the Medical Director APPROVED my surgery as of 8am this morning! When you call in the morning and the auto system tells you the approval needs associate assistance, speak to a rep and ask them to look at the file for you. According to the auto system, there was a precertification on file but no decision was on file yet. The rep had to look in the file and see if a decision had been made. Good luck tomorrow! Now I have to wait and see how far out my surgeon is scheduling surgery. I am hoping to have my surgery and first post op appointment done before the snow gets too deep here! We had over 8 feet of snow on the ground by February and that does not make driving 3 hours each way a very exciting prospect.

Amazing start! Keep up the great work and welcome to the loser's bench!

Yay! Congrats! It is finally a reality!

Yay for much faster response than waiting weeks. I should have a decision today. It is taking every bit of restraint I have to wait until this afternoon to call Cigna. You did do 4 monthly appointments with your doc or dietician, correct? Cigna's policy says 3 monthly appointments greater than or equal to 89 days. Their policy, however, doesn't point out that you need an initial appointment to start the monthly ones. It is a poorly outlined policy that catches a lot of people off guard and results in a lot of denials initially. Cigna is not my favorite insurance company to deal with and they can be a pain. I am just hoping all of our pre-certs go through without a hitch!

I wanted to share an email code I received today from Nashua Nutrition for free shipping on orders over $49! Use code TODAY49 for free shipping on orders over $49 placed on 9/17/14 by 11:59 PM EST. International customers enter code TODAY15 for $15 off your total order towards your shipping cost on orders over $49. Promo codes are case sensitive. Nashua Nutritions best product I have found is their amazing range of samples of many brands and flavors of different Protein shake flavors!! I am ordering a large assortment of protein samples to try all the different flavors and brands post op and not get stuck spending tons of $ on containers that might end up not being used. I hope the code helps some of you!

Have you called Cigna yet? They have been pretty good about keeping me updated when I call. I too just want to get a date. I hate not being able to plan anything for the next 6 weeks because I have no idea what is going on. My surgery schedule takes priority over everything else. Good luck and keep me posted about your approval!

You and I are in the same boat! Would you like to wait together? My information was faxed to Cigna last Thursday (9/11/14). My surgery is scheduled as an inpatient procedure which means Cigna allows 5 business days for a decision. I called today and my file is waiting for review from the medical director. Positive vibes to you and hopefully you will get your approval soon!