How Long Is The Lap Band Surgery Approval Process From Start To Finish

[myownjourney 47]

I'm planning to move out of state but I want to do it after I have my surgery. I've already been to the class and my next step is to meet with the surgeon. I know I have a psych eval after but I want to know how long the whole process will take. I'm in Sacramento California at kaiser permanente

[2bSMALLER 28]

All depends on your insurance .. Some could take anywhere from 4 to 7 months.

Just the nutrition class is 3-6 months... again depending on the insurance . .

I have aetna and it took just a month or so to get all the other doctors appointments out of the way but what took the longest was the 3 months with the nutritionist. and 3 months with my PCP..But a friend who has different insurance needed to meet with her nutritionist once a month for 6 months. So it's all about the insurance company .

I think you will get a better answer if you call your insurance company and ask for the Requirements for the Lap band procedure .

Good luck to you .

[myownjourney 47]

Thank you... I only looked at the insurance to see if I'm covered ( I am with a $15 copay !!:-)) but I will also look for the other requirements

[BayougirlMrsS 3,933]

Every insurance co. has different things you have to do. I had UHC and i first had to call them to make sure they took the insurance. I then had my dr set up as many appt in a day as i could. For example: i did my RN visit, nutrition RN visit and the barium swallow and psyc. all in the same day. Then i did my heart dr. visit and my sleep study in the same day/night. ... you get the point. My dr. compiled all the results from the heart dr, nutr., weight loss RN, swallow, psyc., sleep study and he sent in all as a packet along with my surgery date...

Approved in one week on the first try. Good luck

[TexasDianne 5]

You can call Kaiser and find out from them...it's mostly to do with your insurance and not your doc.

My insurance requires a 6 month waiting period in which I have to log all my food & exercise so that they can see I tried. Yeah, I've been trying for 20+ years...bring on the band, baby. :-)

What state are you moving to?

[horsegirl315 114]

I have been at this for 6 months, and my surgery is scheduled for Jan 30, which would make 7 months. Good luck with your journey, and if you need us, we are here for support!

[myownjourney 47]

Thank you all for the information. I'm moving to Atlanta from Sacramento

[fatboy-es 4]

I am to be banded next Wed ( Jan 4 ) and I looked at my paperwork and it was that same week a year ago that I had my first seminar hosted by my surgeon. Things just take longer sometimes. I had to go through 6 months documented visits with a dietician, they found out I have a hietal hernia which I had to go have a endoscopic exam. I had to have a psych evaluation. A stress test. Then my pulmonologist was very frustrating. All breathing tests came back great, but he wouldnt sign off because he didnt think I used my CPAP machine enough. So, I had to go for a whole month wearing it all night, every night. Then the results sat on his desk for another month before he would sign off. I really dont understand his holdup. One of the whole ideas is to get off that machine anyway and you sure dont wear it during surgery..??? But then the whole package had to be submitted to my insurance. Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Luckily , I was approved on the first attempt. It went pretty fast though. I am starting my liquid diet today. Good Luck !!!

[myownjourney 47]

Thank you... I'm glad that I already know that my insurance covers it with a fifteen dollar copay. I'm just coping with the fact that its going to take much longer then I had anticipated. I think all the other test will go well. I'm just so excited lol