How Long Does it take once you get a referral

speck · November 17, 2006

from your family dr to the surgeon.

My family dr will be referring me to a sugeon Monday but how long does the process take?

Thanks

Ariel · November 17, 2006

For me it took about 2 months before i could get an app. with the surgon. After that it goes very quick. By the time i will be banded in dec, it will have been 6 months. I could have had the surgery 2 months ago but choose not to. The time goes by faster than you would think!

speck · November 17, 2006

Gosh, I guess I'm surprised. I didn't realize it would take at least four months.

Thanks for replying.

Alexandra · November 17, 2006

Speck, every surgeon's practice is different. Even the least busy practices can't do surgery immediately when you walk in the door. There's going to be pre-op testing, evaluations, and if you're going through insurance that process is even longer. You have to plan on at least a couple of months.

Even if you walk in the door with your checkbook in hand, I'd guess it'd be a minimum of three weeks.

speck · November 17, 2006

I guess because I have to drive 3 hours each time I was wishful thinking :rolleyes: .

Also, I have been so many test in the last 3 months due to my diabetes that I thought they could probably use those test.

Anyways, thanks for the reminder to slooooooow down.

speck · November 17, 2006

Also, I was thinking I need to do the surgery ASAP because the girl from the ins co. mentioned they are probably going to change their policy on the surgery in the near future.

sleepyjean · November 18, 2006

I saw my GP for a referral on Jan 19 and was banded on May 1st. The main reason for the delay in my case was having to schedule my nutritionist, social worker, labs, and pre-op clearance visit with my GP weeks in advance. Once all of that was done, my doctor's office submitted the info to my insurance company the very next day. The insurance approval came through two days later. I could've had the surgery a month sooner if my GP's schedule hadn't been so booked up.

chameleon · November 19, 2006

everyone is different and the insurance companies are getting tougher and tougher because they are getting hit with so many of these now that everyone knows about them. My insurance co is supposed to be one of the toughest. Medical Mutual...I have been persuing this since last Feb 06! And I meet and exceed all the criteria. They added the 6 month MEDICALLY documented weight loss attempt last May. Unfortunately, my hospital didn't inform me of this until September so I had to start seeing a dietician in Sept. and I wont be finished with this last requirement until Jan 3 (my prelim visit to the dietician in Mar 06 counted toward the 6) Anyway, supposedly thats the last step I need to finish in order for the ins co. to clear me for surgery....but if they decide to add some crazy requirement between now and then they could and I'll be screwed again! Thats just the way it works with this co. unfortunately! I am hoping for a Feb surgery date.

Kaydotrn · November 19, 2006

I think it is really dependent on the practice you are going through. I went to my first Info session at the end of September. Two weeks later I had my first consultation appt with blood work, then there was a cancellation a week later and I got an appt with the psychologist, then a few weeks later the nutritionist. Then end of October I had my abdominal U/S. Last week I got the appt with the surgeon and I now had a date set for Dec. 18th. This is actually considered fast with the program. I lucked out on the cancellation to squeeze in. I think it is generally four months or so where I am. I saw the stack of applications from one week and it was HUGE.

~K

StephC · November 19, 2006

I actually had to pick up insurance from my job because hubbys wouldn't pay for any bariatric surgery. So then I did a little research found my dr. and went into my pcp. I had to do 6 months of the weight loss study with her, but in the mean time the surgeon had me do ALL the other tests during the 6 months. That all flew by for me, I work at a golf club and I planned it so I could have the surgery in the off season and so for those 6 months I was busy. I had my last pcp visit Oct.11 and then it was horrible waiting to hear from my insurance to see if I was approved. I finally called them and they called my dr that very day and ok'd it. My surgery is scheduled for Dec.11th so... that would be a total of 8 months from start to finish. Good luck!

StephC · November 19, 2006

As I re-read my post I was thinking wow those last 8 months really have flown by! Just think if I lose 8 lbs a month, just 2 lbs a week I could be 64 lbs less in just 8 months! I can't wait to get my band!!!!

Nathalie · November 21, 2006

I first went to orientation on July 31. I was rather pushy and forced myself onto the schedule at an accellerated rate. I had my appointment with the internist and the behaviorist on August 1. I had a meeting with the surgeon a week or so later. The surgeon recommended an endoscopy for me, and I had it on August 17. I had my labs the same day (blood drawn).

I had a 2 month delay because my Iron count was low, so I had to go on Iron pills for 2 months. (I didn't get that message until August 30 because I had been out of the country and couldn't be reached by phone.)

October 30 I went for bloodwork and got the OK. Then we had a fight with the insurance company, which had 2 appeals. I finally got approval on November 10, learned of it on November 17 and scheduled my surgery today. (woot woot!)

December 14 is the first day they can get me in. I have to go through 2 weeks of a surgeon's diet prior to surgery, so that's about as quick as I can get in.

All in all 4.5 months. Not too bad if I do say so myself.

It may help if you are a little aggressive when trying to schedule your appointments. The surgeon's office is probably very busy, so unless you are making your voice heard, you'll be mixed in with everyone else. (just my opinion).

Good luck!

Nathalie