leelee

I was approved for the sleeve over two weeks ago by Highmark and when I called as per the instructions I was told the procedures (lap band removal with revision to gastric sleeve was 100% covered. Today I got a call from the hospital that they wanted $2000 co pay that must be paid before the surgery would take place. I have been on the liquid diet for the two weeks and don;t want to have to go through it again so I dug into my savings and paid the hospital. Why couldn't they have gotten it right the first time?

I wanted to post to let everyone know how my banding that was performed by Dr, Huacuz has progressed. If anyone read my previous post I had the bait and switch from the inamed band to the Swedish Band on my original nightmare journey to TJ. Then last Oct. I had the band slip. I had to have it revised and my surgeon said there was no evidence that the band had ever been stitched in place during the original surgery. It slipped less than six months after being placed so it shouldn't have just disappeared. Just thought I would update.

You may know how to shooo them away in Spanish or to get your boyfriend to get someone else to help but when I was there the sick nurse was the only person in the building except for another patient. Hopefully the hospital will have additional staff. It was quite the uneasy feeling to not have "an option" when it came to my attending nurse.

Please, Please ask for the number of your inamed band before you spend the money and go down. I was to have the inamed band placed by Dr. Huacuz at the molding clinic. I flew from the Northeast to TJ and was to have my surgery. When I arrived they told me there were no inamed bands , I waited two days and they still had no bands. They told me I would have to go home and they would fly me back at a later date. I had already paid a hefty deposit and could not get additional time off from work for six to eight months. They offered the J & J band which I felt strong armed into agreeing to and went in for surgery around 8:30 pm. The nurse who was on duty was as sick as a dog and coughed all night long. I didn't want her anywhere around me as she was visibly ill. The next morning, very early they took me back to the airport and I boarded my plane for home. Andres Betancourt was the patient coordinator and I feel flimflammed (sp). I have requested my surgery records in English several times and have not received them. I had a very hard time getting a stateside doctor to do the fills as the J & J band is not approved here in the US. Please do your homework.