BCBS of alabama.......what was your waiting period after your surgeon submitted it?

[Teachingmom 3]

Just curious what kind of time frame I'm looking at. My surgeons office submitted it yesterday.

[cmathews77 10]

I am from Alabama and my coordinator explained it like this. BCBS of AL will except submissions by either fax or online, depending on your plan. She said if it was faxed, a week or so and if it was online, it would be an immediate reply. Fortunately, mine was online and I stayed on the phone while she submitted and got the approval.

[Teachingmom 3]

Thank you! I have no idea how she submitted it.....she didn't mention the method. Are you blue cross of alabama peehip? I am a school teacher & I'm not aware of any other school employees who've had the sleeve.

[cmathews77 10]

I am a school teacher as well, however my insurance is through my husband. My coordinator never could tell me how she be able to submit it. All she would say is she wouldn't know until time to submit, so I called my insurance company and they told be the type of procedure that I was having could be submitted online. What surgeon/hospital are you using? I used UAB Birmingham. You can either call you cooridinator and find out how she submitted or call your insurance company to see how it was submitted.

[Teachingmom 3]

I use dr. Touliatos at trinity. He's the one who put my lap band in. I really like him. By the way, I loved the band- it totally worked for me. But unfortunately the stupid thing broke down & eroded into my stomach! So I had to get it out. Now dr. Touliatos doesn't even do bands anymore! So he recommended the sleeve. I'm really worried BCBS is gonna reject it - even though its a "revision surgery" due to the band erosion.

[Guest Jason Cody]

I was living in Las Vegas Nevada when mine was approved. Good luck. I was just sleeved on Monday; three days out now. From the day my surgery scheduler submitted my paperwork to United Health Care until the date of my approval was only 5 days; (two of those were weekend days). I called my insurance company every day to see if there was any progress however. I was very villigant. I was told that most people a United Healthcare claim takes an average of 15 business days. I know that my constant calling expidited things.