Carrie_C

Does anyone know of a good company to finance the coinsurance through? I don't have very good credit, so I am having trouble finding financing. Any help would be appreciated!

I think they will approve you if you keep appealing. Cigna denied me twice (and I have 3 comorbidities), but they finally approved it and I have a surgery date of 5/22. Keep fighting!!

That's great that you only have to pay $100. The doctor's office has been jerking me around. I don't think the insurance cooridinator even knows what she is doing. On the initial consult, they told me I would have to pay $1000 for a program fee. Then when I went to the nutrition eval, they told me that I wouldn't have to pay all of my coinsurance before surgery. They said I would have to pay $750 1 week before surgery and the rest would be due within 6 months. That was all fine with me, I have saved up all the money. But now they are telling me that I have to pay ALL of the coinsurance before sugery. So I am very confused. I don't know if I can come up with all of it at once. I don't see how they can make me pay all of it at once. I am going to have to talk to her supervisor or someone else that knows what they are doing.

I just got my surgery date, it is May 22. I am excited, but also very nervous. I am not sure how many days preop I will have to be on liquids. I go next week for the preop class, so I am guessing they will tell me then. Now I just have to come up with all the money for the coinsurance!

Candle, nice to meet a fellow seller! What do you normally sell?

I just don't see what the difference is in the crystal light mixes that are sugar free and sugar and caffine free tea. They even make mixes now that ARE tea.

Yes, I think that is what they require unless there are major complications and hopefully that won't happen. My plan requires it to be in a hospital and not a surgery center, which is fine with me.

I think it's best not to eat anything and everything before surgery. You will have a harder time adjusting if you do that. My surgeon requires that my weight be the same on the day of surgery that it was on my consult. So gaining any before surgery is not an option for me. He said they have actually had people gain 60 pounds between the consult and the surgery day! He said he refused to do the surgery and sent them home until they lost the extra weight.

You are so right. Ebay is the best place to sell your clothes. I have been a seller for over a year, and plus sizes are what sell.

I don't think Cigna will accept Weight Watchers. I also wonder how people got approved using that. I just wonder if the surgeon's office 'fixes' the records to make them look like they were doctor supervised.

I finally got approved by Cigna as well. I agree with you, it is hard to get them to cover it if you don't have comorbidities. It is also hard if you do. I don't understand how some people get approved in only a few days.

The doctor told me that the decaf tea counts as water as long as it doesn't have any sugar. It is the caffine that has the diuretic, not the tea and coffee. There is no difference in drinking decaf sugar free tea and drinking water with the sugar free mixes.

I would suggest that you find out more education on the band and bypass. I wouldn't advise bypass to ANYONE. I work in a doctor's office and I have seen what bypass can do to someone. But I have also seen patients get the lap band not fully aware of what they are getting into. I know of one patient who got the band and she lost some weight at first, but now she is back up to 300 pounds. People have to realize that it will change your life and you have to make major lifestyle changes for it to work. If you really hate needles and can't get over that fear, then maybe surgery isn't right for you. I would suggest that you read a lot of posts here, there is a lot of helpful information. Good luck.

That's great. I am waiting on approval from Cigna as well. I called today and they said they should have a decision by Friday. Hopefully they will approve us both!

I have the same type. I was denied the first time bacause they didn't receive the nutrition eval (so they said anyway). The second time, they said that they needed a second letter from the RD showing that I had the eval. I don't know why they needed 2 letters. It has been almost 2 weeks since the surgeons office filed the appeal, and I haven't heard anything, so I am hoping that is a good sign. The first time it took them less than a week to deny me and the second time they denied me in less than a day. I have comorbidities that are being controlled, so I don't know if they will deny me because of that. But my BMI is 41, so I don't see what it would matter about comorbidities if my BMI is over 40. What is your BMI?

That's great! I am waiting on approval from Cigna. They have denied me 2 times. Hopefully I will get approved this time. What type of Cigna do you have?

I don't think tenncare covers the procedure. I had tenncare a few years ago and the surgeon wouldn't even consult with me because they wouldn't cover it. It may have changed since then. You could call them up and ask.

Cigna has denied me for the second time. They denied me the first time because they said they didn't receive the nutrition eval consult. Now they have the eval and they have denied me again because they want another letter from the dietician. (The RD is working on the letter). I think they are just knit picking to try and get out of paying. Has anyone else had this happen? I am not sure what to do now.

Thanks everyone. The surgeon's office has appealed, and they sent in everything to Cigna last week, so I am just waiting to hear. The surgeon is very reputable. I asked about all the fees they charge and they said they are allowed to charge them as long as they tell me ahead of time. They gave me a paper about what all the fees are for, I just haven't had a chance to read it all. I had called Cigna last week, and they said all they needed was a letter from the RD about the nutrition consult. I am hoping they approve me this week. I would just like to get on with it!

I agree, I would like to burn some of mine as well! Your clothes will sell GREAT on ebay!

You should sell them on ebay. Plus size clothes sell really well. You could probably make a lot off them. I have been selling on ebay for over a year, and bigger clothes are what sell. You could make enough to buy new clothes!

Thanks. The surgeons office had a package deal with the psych eval and the nutrition eval for $95, so that's what I did. They never mentioned anything about insurance covering it. I think they are just ripping people off. They are making me pay 2 "program fees", I had to pay $105 at the consultation and I have to pay $1000 one week before surgery. And that is in addition to what I have to pay that insurance doesn't cover. My insurance covered the consultation, but the office still made me pay the $105. They call all of this program fees, and I have no idea what that means. Has anyone else had to do this?

Have you been on any diets at all that were supervised by a doctor? I was on phentermine, and I submitted those records.

They didn't pay for my psych eval either. My surgeon's office resubmitted everything the other day, so I hope they don't find another reason to deny.

Thanks, I needed to hear that. I feel like throwing my hands up and saying forget it.