I am APPROVED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Penpen 28]

I got a call today from my doctor's office and UHC has approved my surgery!!!!! YaY!!! It took them a whole 9 days to approve it. Wow!!! I went in for my doc's appointment 16 days ago but it took them a week to send it to the insurance for approval. I'm so excited but am scared to death at the same time. When I got off of the phone, I wanted to jump up and down!!! Ten minutes later, I wanted to cry! Ha! The emotions have already started flowing. Now, I'm waiting for a call to schedule the surgery.

[wishes 125]

Haha, I think I would have jumped up and down, screamed, and about lost my mind. Congrats! I hope you get the call to schedule a date much sooner than it took for approval. I hope UHC gives me the same news in a couple of months. Congrats again!

[ldydrgnkpr 49]

Congrats!!!!!! Best wishes!!!!

Deb

[Oopsseedaisy 90]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sleeve 4 me 910]

SWEEEEET! I'm so happy for you!

[Penpen 28]

Thank you all!!! I'm so happy right now! I can't wait to be on the losers' bench. It's crazy to think that I would be so excited about having something so major removed. It just feels like I'm counting the days down to a new me...a new way of life!! Awwwwww!

[Nancy Rivers 24]

Congratulations! I hope the call comes soon for the scheduled surgery!

[2sweetnsugarland 9]

CONGRATS!!!! You will love it!

[chunkymonkey91 0]

I got a call today from my doctor's office and UHC has approved my surgery!!!!! YaY!!! It took them a whole 9 days to approve it. Wow!!! I went in for my doc's appointment 16 days ago but it took them a week to send it to the insurance for approval. I'm so excited but am scared to death at the same time. When I got off of the phone, I wanted to jump up and down!!! Ten minutes later, I wanted to cry! Ha! The emotions have already started flowing. Now, I'm waiting for a call to schedule the surgery.

Hey. I have UHC too. I have my letter from my PCP and have seen the cardiologist. My meeting with the surgeon is 6/17. So does the surgeon submit your paperwork for approval after that meeting or do you have to do all of the other visits like the psych eval and meetings with the nutritionist first? I'm confused as to how all of that works.

Also, I REALLY don't want to have to deal with a 6 month supervised diet requirement. No one at UHC has been able to tell me whether or not my plan requires it. How did you know what your plan required for you to get approved?

I'm so nervous because I go back to school in September and I would like to have the surgery in July/August so I'll be healed by the time I start school.

Any info would help. Thanks!

[KellyL 173]

Yayyyyyyy!! So happy for you!

:cheer2:

[Penpen 28]

Hi chunkymonky91! Okay, I was very confused as to what UHC would cover and would require for this surgery. I had actually gone to a doc a little over a year ago to see about getting the lap band. They told me that they thought UHC would make me do a 6 month supervised diet but then about 10 days out I got a call from them saying that lap band was approved and that I had to do nothing else as far as the insurance was concerned. I didn't have it done because my husband was completely against it.

Now that my husband is on board and I discovered the sleeve. the process has gone so smoothly. I did call UHC before finding my doctor but they could not tell me anything ... Just that everything they consider is based on that individual and their coverage. They do not have a set standard for everyone across the board. This was really nerve racking because of course, I wanted an answer right then.

So, here's a timeline of what happened. My husband and I attended the seminar on 5-4-11. I had my first appointment with my doc on 5-11. Now, I had to sign something giving my permission for my other doctors to send records over. I thought that they were having to gather all this past medical history and everything to send to the insurance company. So I waited until 5-24 to call my doc's office to find out if they'd heard anything because the ins co has 30 days to make a decision. I was told that they sent my case to UHC on 5-18 and that usually if UHC had any request they would have heard back from them within 48 hours. I asked if they had any trouble with getting my medical records and was told that they never requested them...that they would only request them if UHC asked for them. Wow, i was really surprised by that. The doc's office seemed to think that this was a good sign. Then on 5-27, doc's office called and said I was approved and UHC required nothing from me. I couldn't believe it.

Now I have my preop class next Wednesday. But I started my preop diet 3 days ago. My surgery is on 6/23.

I don't know how they decide but if it matters, I am 5'5" and was 280 when I was weighed at the doc's office. My BMI was 46.6. Also, I'm not taking any meds for health problems although I have slightly high cholesterol and blood pressure...I was always told to watch what I eat to control both. Then in the last couple of months my blood sugar levels have been a little high and I'm actually waiting for results from in-depth blood work done last week to see if I'm diabetic. Also, had my back out last year and was almost completely bed ridden for a month. All of this the doctor said he would put in my case because the insuance co wanted a good reason or two to have this surgery done besides the fact that I wanted to lose weight. I really don't know what was the big decider for UHC.

I hope this helps.

Hey. I have UHC too. I have my letter from my PCP and have seen the cardiologist. My meeting with the surgeon is 6/17. So does the surgeon submit your paperwork for approval after that meeting or do you have to do all of the other visits like the psych eval and meetings with the nutritionist first? I'm confused as to how all of that works.

Also, I REALLY don't want to have to deal with a 6 month supervised diet requirement. No one at UHC has been able to tell me whether or not my plan requires it. How did you know what your plan required for you to get approved?

I'm so nervous because I go back to school in September and I would like to have the surgery in July/August so I'll be healed by the time I start school.

Any info would help. Thanks!

[Day Dreamer 23]

I cried when I got approved LOL I just couldn't believe it! You would have thought I won the lottery or something!!

Congrats!

:cheer2:

[fattymcfatterson 107]

Congrats PENPEN!!! Who is your Doc? I see you are in the DFW area, me too!! I have my first meeting with Dr. Wade Barker on Thursday JUne 9. I also have UHC choice plus (something, the most expensive one!!) They say I am covered at 90% and my BMI is 41.4. I am curious if I am going to have hoops to jump through! Maybe I will be right behind you! I live south of fort worth, where are you? I am very happy for you!!

[Penpen 28]

I want to say thank you to all of you for being so encouraging. As you know, this journey is not easy.

[Penpen 28]

Hi fattymcfatterson! Thank you! My doctor is Dr. James Davidson. I actually considered using Dr. Barker but went to see my doctor first and decided he was the one. My husband works with a lady that had the bypass done by Dr. Barker last September. She really liked him.

I live east of Dallas...past Mesquite. I hope you get approved super quick! Maybe you'll be able to have yours done in July. That would be so awesome.

Congrats PENPEN!!! Who is your Doc? I see you are in the DFW area, me too!! I have my first meeting with Dr. Wade Barker on Thursday JUne 9. I also have UHC choice plus (something, the most expensive one!!) They say I am covered at 90% and my BMI is 41.4. I am curious if I am going to have hoops to jump through! Maybe I will be right behind you! I live south of fort worth, where are you? I am very happy for you!!