insurance question

[juliek1968 1]

I have tufts and did the 6 months I can change program and was approved for surgery for Aug 23rd 2010 and now my insurance is changing on Aug 1st 2010 to Blue Cross Blue Shield Ma. Has anyone had their insurance change right before their surgery?

Thank you

[malinda1229 1]

I did and it was not pretty. Had United did ALL the pre op work at Lahey Burlington MA, starting in Sept 2009. 01.01.10 got married changed to blue cross...contiuned to go to lahey, got a surgery date of April 9 Lahey submitted pre approval paperwork...DENIED, becasue I could have the surgery in RI where I lived. Now I have $$$$ of bills for lahey that noone will cover. Had to get a PCP in RI, get the referal to a Band Doc in RI and finally had the surgey on July 15!!!

Call your new health provider NOW if they wont cover it see if your Doc can give you a speed pass to get the surgery!!

[juliek1968 1]

Thank you Linda for giving me that advice!! I appreciate it:smile2: My doctor takes my new insurance, so I am all set with that. I really want my surgery on Aug 23rd, and am hoping that bluecross will approve it for that date. The insurance company told me to tell my docs office that they can expedite the process by calling the main number for bluecross blueshield. It is just so fustrating going through the 6 mons of tufts I can change program and having everything all set to have my insurance change, and to have to deal with the insurance again!! I am lucky to have insurance that covers this proceedure though!! Congrats on your marriage and having the lapband done :ohmy:

[honk 780]

I recently asked this question at my doctors office becuase I am currently on BCBS Cobra and am looking for a new job. The nurse said that if the new insurance coverage includes the surgery all the office has to do is submit to that carrier. In my case they would have shown that I had been on their program for over 6 months (in case that was a requirment) and that I had done all the required test. They had done this many times before and it was fine.

[juliek1968 1]

Thank you Honk for giving me that info. The doctors office is going to put it in on Aug 2nd for me and I just hope it will get approved right away! Fingers crossed