katazann

I am just getting started on the insurance thing but one thing the bariatric nurse told me is ALMOST a clincher for them to pay is if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. SOOO..... I went to my primary physician on Monday and she called and had me scheduled for a consult to have a sleep study done, which is on the 26th I believe, and then it will be June 21st before they can actually do the study itself, which I was hoping they could get me in before then but she said not to submit to insurance until I have that info back. My doc seems to think that I do have sleep apnea. Which doc are you using? Are you just getting started as well?

So how much is the self pay for Dr. Edwards? Are you required to lose a certain amount before the surgery? I am only going to mess with the insurance for a a couple of months and then will go ahead and do finance. I have been undecided about this surgery for over a year and in the meantime have gained another 20 pounds. Now that I have made a decision to have surgery I don't want to put it off any longer than I have to. I am willing to jump the hoops if it will save me several thousand dollars but if it isn't going to happen as far as the insurance then I just want to get the surgery behind me. Would like to think this is my last summer in the current body!! UGH!!:phanvan

Hi Nana I lived in Battlefield when it was a handfull of houses and a whole lot of woods!! Have a friend that lives there now and I am not too far from you. How long has it taken you to get a surgery date? Are you self pay or insurance? Name is Kat by the way!!

Hi, I am new to the forum and live on the edge of Springfield. Have made a decision to have the procedure done before the end of the year and going to try to get past the exclusion on UHC first but if that doesn't work then outside the states is my other option. Would love to chat with anyone in my area who is going through this part of life, that is just begining for me. Look forward to hearing from anyone. Kat:help:

Hi, my name is Kathy and I am 43 years young. I have been researching the lapband for a year now and have talked myself in to it a few times over and then back out of it again just as many times. I have finally decided that there is no going back this time though. I want to be banded by the end of the year one way or the other. I have attended 3 different seminars,as well as reading info and online info over and over. I live outside of Springfield, Mo. and had Dr. Edwards remove my gallbladder last summer at which time I talked to him about the procedure and indicated I might at some time be ready to go that route and he said it would not be a problem for him to do the procedure or follow up when I was ready for it. I have gotten copies of all my medical records over the past few years in which I will be dropping them off this week. I also went to my doctor today and went over what I might need from her to help in the process of trying to get insurance to pay for the procedure which is through United Healthcare. That info will be faxed tomorrow. My weight at the doctor today was 268. UGH!!! I have gained over 40 pounds in the past 2 years. Well, lets see where I go from here. If the insurance does not pay then my other option will be to seek surgery outside the states and do financing. So life begins..........:nervous [link=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] [image noborder]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/3;10731;88;0;0/c/0/t/-118/k/a765/weight.png[/image] [/link]

Hi, my name is Kathy and I am 43 years young. I have been researching the lapband for a year now and have talked myself in to it a few times over and then back out of it again just as many times. I have finally decided that there is no going back this time though. I want to be banded by the end of the year one way or the other. I have attended 3 different seminars,as well as reading info and online info over and over. I live outside of Springfield, Mo. and had Dr. Edwards remove my gallbladder last summer at which time I talked to him about the procedure and indicated I might at some time be ready to go that route and he said it would not be a problem for him to do the procedure or follow up when I was ready for it. I have gotten copies of all my medical records over the past few years in which I will be dropping them off this week. I also went to my doctor today and went over what I might need from her to help in the process of trying to get insurance to pay for the procedure which is through United Healthcare. That info will be faxed tomorrow. My weight at the doctor today was 268. UGH!!! I have gained over 40 pounds in the past 2 years. Well, lets see where I go from here. If the insurance does not pay then my other option will be to seek surgery outside the states and do financing. So life begins..........:nervous [link=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] [image noborder]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/3;10731;88;0;0/c/0/t/-118/k/a765/weight.png[/image] [/link]

So does Dr Wagner do the lapband procedures as well? I am going to have to have my gallbladder removed looking like next week but looking for a surgeon close if possible, who charges a decent rate and will cover things for the first year which is what Dr Steward does and he is about 3 hours from me. Not sure how to tell you how to get to Lenexa because I have never been there but it is at the Tallgrass clinic I believe and I am hoping they will give me some options to check in to on the finance part, since I am self pay. I think they are scheduling the procedures from July seminar, in August and September and self pay are being scheduled first. My actual email address is katazann@yahoo.com. Would love to chat more. Would be nice to have a buddy to go through all of this with. I have an awesome husband but someone else who is doing the actual surgery and knows what I am going through would be great!! Kathy

Dawn, My brother and his significant other live in around the Sparta, Ava area. Kinda cool, anyways, I haven't decided on which doctor to use on anything yet. I just found out yesterday that I am going to probably have to have my gallbladder removed and have an appointment today to see for sure. With that being the case, I will have to have that done before I can have the other done, so where I was looking to have the lapband done in July, it will probably be in August or even September now. I have been checking on Dr. Steward in Lenexa still and with his cost being 10,500 by the time I spend the money to go to Mexico and then the cost of the fills from what I am hearing from everyone else, I might as well go to Dr. Steward and pay his cost and have a year of aftercare and fills at no cost, and not stress over going out of the country since that is a little unnerving. I am going to attempt to go to Dr. Steward's seminar in Lenexa a week from Saturday if you would be interested in attending it as well, or have you chose a doctor to have your procedure already? Look forward to hearing back from you. It is kinda nice to talk to someone who actually lives closer to me. Kathy

Trying to get everything arranged before I schedule for the actual surgery and plan on having that in Mexico. Was hoping that someone could recommend good fill docs close to home who won't charge me every dime I saved by going to Mexico since I am self pay>> Look forward to hearing from anyone. Thanks, Kathy