So now what?

suez1105 · July 30, 2011

Ok so they are sending my paperwork to my insurance company on Monday. So what will my insurance company do? How do they approve you? Will they call my doctors offices to verify my info? Do they check my medical record? What happens and how long does it take?

Heatherr · July 30, 2011

Call your insurance company and ask them how long it takes. Mine guaranteed an answer within 72 hours, but the bari center messed up a few times so it was more like 2 weeks. Then they sent me an approval letter which I faxed (with return receipt) to the bari center.......that they never got. @@ Seeing a pattern? After 2 weeks I called to find out what the hold up was and after I told them I had documentation that they received the fax, they started scrambling, called my insurance company for verbal confirmation then scheduled me. Funny, when I asked if they could do that the day I got the approval, I was told no. Anyhoo, call your insurance company and once you get approval, keep calling or they can take weeks to get all the i's dotted and t's crossed.

suez383 · July 30, 2011

Call your insurance company and ask them how long it takes. Mine guaranteed an answer within 72 hours, but the bari center messed up a few times so it was more like 2 weeks. Then they sent me an approval letter which I faxed (with return receipt) to the bari center.......that they never got. @@ Seeing a pattern? After 2 weeks I called to find out what the hold up was and after I told them I had documentation that they received the fax, they started scrambling, called my insurance company for verbal confirmation then scheduled me. Funny, when I asked if they could do that the day I got the approval, I was told no. Anyhoo, call your insurance company and once you get approval, keep calling or they can take weeks to get all the i's dotted and t's crossed.

thanks for the info. Just another question, will my insurance company call my PCP to verify my weight? Here's the thing, I only went to get my job required physical in 2009. They asked me my weight they never weighed me I of course lied. The weight I told them made my BMI 38 and with no co-morbidities it won't be high enough to be approved. My weight in 2010 is high enough. So my doctor was nice enough to type up all my weight recordings from 2010 and i asked her to write what i knew my weight really was in 2009. She worded it great but she didn't lie or put a visit date on it, she is hoping they don't pay close attention lol. She isn't lying she said if they call her she will tell them that I had never been there in 2009 but that I had told her my weight. We are not going to send the 2009 physical paper unless they call and verify with my pcp and doesn't accept her letter and then we will send the letter. DOES the insurance company call my pcp to verify? My only other option which my surgeon reccommended was to go back to my pcp and have them measure my height. I am not exactly sure how tall I am, I always just say 5'7" but honestly I am not 100% sure. I figured I would have them measure me, slouch a little just in case and hope I am 5'5" and have my doctor attach a note saying that I hadn't ever been measured and they did it just in case and I am actually only 5'5 or 5'6.

Thanks I of course am not trying to lie, I have been obese my whole life and of course this is the first time I want to kick myslf for lying about my weight during my physical. I appreciate any help thanks!

Heatherr · July 30, 2011

Every insurance company is different in regards to how they handle things, but it seems to be common that your surgeon or Bariatric group.dr will put together all the infor to send to your insurance company. They know the insurance companies well and who required what info and will likely put it all together before. They want you to have this surgery. It is still a business, so trust they will know what your insurance requires. When in doubt, ask them.