NEWME10

Hello, I definitely want to wish you both good luck on your journey. I think it is great to be doing it together. My husband does not need it. So I'm in it alone. But I shouldn't say that because now I have this as a outlet. I'm sure he will be very supportive. My surgery date is May 14th. Good luck again, Susie

Hello all, Just wanted to make sure to emphasize that your monthly checkups have to be exactly a month apart. I missed it by 2 weeks because my Dr. was out of the country for a class and I was denied because of it only after appeal and written explanation of the two overdue Dr. appoint did they ever approved me. I have Cigna and apparently they are very serious about their rules. I started this process back in August and surgery is scheduled for May 14th. I know you're anxious but hopefully it will all be worth it. Good Luck Susie

Welcome to Lapband Talk. This is the most informative site for this procedure that you could ever possibly imagine. Just look around through it and will find out just about anything you ever needed or wanted to know. I am going to Commonwealth Surgeons Group and so far things are going well. I was just approved by insurance and have received my surgeru date of May 14th. It took me 9 months to get here. Insurance is a real bite. But the finally came around after I filed an appeal. If I can awswer any questions from this far just let me know. Susie

Good morning all, I was wondering if you could tell me what the liver shrinking diet consist of for Dr. Bautista and how long are you supposed to be on it? I am scheduled for surgery on May 14th. That was his first available appointment. I think the liver shrinking diet diet scares me a little. Thanks for any insight into this. Susie

I just spoke with the girl that makes the appointmnets and I have a surgery date of May 14th, I am so excited. My Dr, is Bautista. Is there anyone around Richmond reading this that is or has had him for the surgery? Just wondering. It sounds like I have a lot to do between now and then. Cardiac evaluation, Physical, Blood work, Nutritional counseling, A Diabetes class, and 1 on 1 about the nutritional needs after surgery. I also have to have a meeting with the Dr. I think with my husband to discuss the actual surgery. I think that one scares me the most. This is the first thing in a long time that I've actually done something positive just for me. Any other May Bandters out there? Susie

Good evening, all I can tell you from my experiences with Cigna if you don't get in touch with a supervisor all they do is push you around and try to bury your file. I was denied the first time with Cigna even though when I sent in my appeal the surgeons office sent the exact same information the second time and they approved it through the appeal process. I do not have a BMI of 40 but it is 37.5 and I have several serious commorbidities. I had to call everyother day to check on the progress and several times they told me I needed different pieces of information but after I got to the supervisor they assured me they had everything they needed. With Cigna it has taken me since early October to get through the process and just This past Thursday the supervisor that had assigned herself my case called to let me know that the procedure had been approved. I still am not scheduled for surgery yet because the surgeons office has to received the approval in writing before they will schedule my surgery. I wish you well on your journey but if you did not get a letter on medical nescity from your PCP I am sure they will need one. Along with the 6 month medically supervised diet and excercise program documentation. I was so envious of all the people on hear that got their approvals so quickly but with Cigna you have to fight. But don't let them win, we pay for our insurance and deserve our benefits. Susie

Hello everyone I was told that I would have to wait until late May at best but probally June for my date. I just got approval after fighting with Cigna for over 6 months. Finally after appeal they approved the procedure. I am really scared but I really want to get it over and started so I can start living my life instead of watching everyone else living theirs. I have type 2 diabetes ans I am truely hoping that this will make that go into remission. Susie

:regular_smile:I just found out that I was approved for the LApband. I thought I was ready for this but now I just feel scared. :wink: The girl at the surgery center said it would probally be late May or early June till they can fit me in. I can't imagine the range of emotions I will be feeling until the day gets here. Is there anyoneelse out there having surgery in that time span by the Commonwealth Surgery group in Richmond? Susie

Congratulations, On your milestone. Is there anyway you could tell me how to get the ticker on my account here? I can't find it anywhere. I'm not so great on computer stuff but I really wan the ticker. Thanks NEWME10

How do you get the tickers? I want one. Newme10

Hello gang, Have any of you had to go through the appeal process. I was wondering what I need to do for it. I was denied and now the Dr's office a resubmitted the exact same paper work for the appeal process. Should I have done anything like have written more letters or had my PCP write more letters? Just seems like if they were going to approve it they would have approved it the first time. Any thoughts? Newme10

Hello CCDC74, Did you have to do anything different when it was resubmitted. The dr"s office said that I had met all the requirements and just resubmitted it. When they(cigna) sent the denial , I looked back through my paperwork it looked like I had covered all the bases they addressed. But they were a little vague with where I didn't comply. Just wondering if you had to add anything to the request each time or any of the times? Thanks Newme10

Hello all, I was wondering if there is anyone out there that has been through the appeal process. I am with Cigna in Virginia. Has anyone been approved aftergoing through this process and about how long does it take? I started this journey back in September. It took them four weeks to deny me the first time. The Dr's office resubmitted it in January. Just anxious I guess. Newme10

Congratulations, I am very happy for you. If I ever get approved I will be crazy with excitement also. How is that Liver shrinking diet? Who is your Dr.? How long after approval did it take to get your surgery scheduled? Sorry for all the questions but the unknown is very scary. Thanks

Good morning Lumpy, I was just wondering how you are doing since your surgery. I have Cigna and they just denied my first attempt so Hillarie at the office has filed my first appeal to the decision. Did you have any of those issues prior to approval? Is the Liver shrinking diet like totally awful? What do you have to do for that? I also live in Richmond. Thanks NEWME10

Hello everyone, Just to make all of you feel better, my insurance company is Cigna and they have had all the paperwork for over a month and all they tell me when I call is it's still beng reviewed. At first I was told two weeks, then I was told told 30 days. The last time I called they said it could take up to 30 working days. I actually submitted the Predetermination on Oct 18, 2007. They kicked it out because of a code the Nutritionist did not put on the application. That took until November 18 th to straighten out. So I've been actively working towards this for the past 3 months. I feel like I'm nowhere. Hopefully they will call or send a letter soon. I guess they do have a bunch of cases to review but I really feel like I'm ready for this and want to get going as soon as possible in the new year. My surgeon will not schedule an appointment until the insurance has approved it. And I think there is still more to be done after that like tests to take and such. In October the NP said it would probally happen the end of December or early January it's looking a lot more like February. Godd thing I wasn't holding my breathe. NEWME10:mad:

Susie98P I was looking at the information that the patients of Dr. Bautista had listed. I noticed that you said you were a Lab Tech @Dupont. I also work at Dupont. I am at the Spruance site. I was wondering if you had to go through Cigna and how that worked for you. I have been having a few issues with them letting my file fall into the big crack and not doing anything about it. I call yesterday and had them put a higher priority on it. HO HO! How long were you out of work? I look forward to hearing back from you.

Hello Va Gang again, JA9VA I really appreciate your reply, Thanks you so much . It's so great to have this place to vent. Those friends that are not in this realm have no idea of the torment that goes into making a decision like this because they have always been naturally thin. When I was younger I was very thin then around 22 I gained about 50 lbs in a year. I didn't understand it but it happened now I have been told that I probally had PCOS which causes huge sudden weight gains and could have been corrected. But then I tried to diet and excercised lost a little weight had baby packed on more weight, lost a little again, had another baby, gained more, and then repeated it one more time. I have tried so many diets but it's never been successful for long. One time I took Redux and lost 60 lbs I loved it but then it was taken off the market. But since that I have been extremely unsuccessful with weight lost. I also had to have Hysterectomy when I was 33. Recently developed Thyroid issues, reflux, joint pain and Diabetes. I guess thats enough of my justification. It's really difficult to want this so bad and still not even know if insurance has approved me yet. It seems like the process is so slow. Lumpy: I will definitely keep in touch with the process. I really wish you well with the surgery. Thanks for being here. Suzie

Good morning Va Gang, I was wondering if JA9VA had to do the liquid diet thing for two weeks or more. I have a BMI of 37 but just recently developed two comorbities that are kicking my butt right now. I have been having diffficulty with Cigna not letting me know they do not have what they need to proceed with my approval twice now. So now I call Cigna almost daily to make sure they are on track. Do you know of anyone else that has used Dr, Bautista. After approval how long did it take to actually take to get scheduled for surgery. I am really letting the not not knowing get the best of me right now. I want to start this journey as quickly as possible. ANy insight would be greatly appreciated. I have been watching this for a while but JA9VA is the first person I have seen mention Dr. Bautista. Thanks for reading my babbling I'm just so consumed with this getting started I can't stand it. Newme10

Hi out there, I turned in my paperwork last week to Cigna. Has anyone had Dr. Bautista in Richmond? The dr. office said it would take a month to hear back does that sound right.