How Long Does The Whole Process Take?

[ThinnerMe2015 14]

I have met with my dietitian for the past 16 months, and now the referral cordinator is turning in my paper work to my insurance company, then she said after that I have to meet with a psych Dr. I'm guessing on approval from the insurance people, then after that, what should I expect and approximately how long will it take before the scheduling surgery part? The referral department said she will get to my paper work hopefully this week, can anyone tell me is it a long wait to hear back. I have Medicare as Primary and Medicaid as Secondary Insurance if that helps

Edited November 2, 2014 by ThinnerMe2015

[chrystine 42]

The process is so different for each program. I had to have my psych eval before I could meet with the director of surgery, then she ok'd me to meet with the surgeon of my choice (I met him at the info session). He actually scheduled me for surgery without approval - I was soooo nervous about getting approved but I got approved in 24 hrs!! I wish you the best! From everything I have read average time in 2 weeks. At the info session my doc said he had a lot of experience with my insurance (I am retired military) and he didn't think it would be a problem, and it wasn't. My insurance is very picky about where I can have the procedure done though so that may have helped.

[ThinnerMe2015 14]

Wow Chrystine that was super fast, I am going to a Bariatrics Seminar on Nov 5th, I just talked with someone at Medicare and they told me I didn't need a referral to see a psych Dr. So I left a message for the referral cordinator so if I don't have to waste un-necessary time I don't want to. Wow I hope my situation go as fast as yours and get a approval.

[little_mrs 145]

My very first consultation was 9/18 and my surgery is 11/18 exactly two weeks! I had no supervised diet requirements. I got my approval from insurance 8 days after the surgeons office submitted it ????

[SuzeMuze 338]

The whole process for me took just under 3 months. Fortunately, I'd been working with my Primary Care Dr. + a dietician for a while before I took the plunge and chose RNY surgery. It started with meeting the surgeon's office staff after attending an informational class at the hospital (and monthly meetings after that) , followed by clearances for Cardio, Pulmonary, Psych, sleep Study, Abdominal Ultrasound, DVT ultrasound & full bloodwork. After all of that, a surgery date was set & the insurance company was notified & given proof of medically supervised weight loss before the RNY surgery request (it took less than a week to hear back) . I didn't actually meet the surgeon until relatively close to the surgery date- maybe a month or so. Best of luck to you!

[ready2B 263]

It varies so greatly, every practice is different, every case is different, every insurance company is different and every doctor's schedule is different!

My insurance had no diet requirements, so I thought my surgery would be scheduled really fast. But my surgeon required a bunch of different appointments & test first, then once I finished all that & they submitted to insurance (they took their time getting things submitted) I got approved almost immediately. It was still another week later before I finally got the call to schedule me and by then my surgeon was booked up 2 months out! So, you just never know. Best advice is just go with the flow. There's not much in this whole process that is in your hands or under your control, so you just have to be patient.

It was very agonizing me to wait at times, but it is what it is. Now I am only a week away and it feels like it is coming way too fast!

[ThinnerMe2015 14]

My very first consultation was 9/18 and my surgery is 11/18 exactly two weeks! I had no supervised diet requirements. I got my approval from insurance 8 days after the surgeons office submitted it

I haven't even met with a surgeon, I guess some insurances have a different order. I've read alot the surgeon submitted the paper work, but I have a referral cordinator sending paper work in to the insurance company is that the same? It seems as though I am waiting approval after her sending in the referral when I finish my 12 months of dietitian meeting, actually it was 16 months for me, so do you think they are waiting for approval for surgery from what she sending in or just approval to see a Psych Doctor? I am anxious to talk to a surgeon, but I guess I have to wait for approval before I can see a surgeon or a psych doctor.

Edited November 6, 2014 by ThinnerMe2015

[cdenney123 103]

_{My process took 6 months I started back in May and had my surgery in October. good Luck}

[ThinnerMe2015 14]

The whole process for me took just under 3 months. Fortunately, I'd been working with my Primary Care Dr. + a dietician for a while before I took the plunge and chose RNY surgery. It started with meeting the surgeon's office staff after attending an informational class at the hospital (and monthly meetings after that) , followed by clearances for Cardio, Pulmonary, Psych, sleep Study, Abdominal Ultrasound, DVT ultrasound & full bloodwork. After all of that, a surgery date was set & the insurance company was notified & given proof of medically supervised weight loss before the RNY surgery request (it took less than a week to hear back) . I didn't actually meet the surgeon until relatively close to the surgery date- maybe a month or so. Best of luck to you!

Wow SuzeMuze your situation sounds like mine. It seem like were going down the same path. I just finished with the dietitian in September , I met with my Physician and told her I was done, and the dietician that I saw in the same office said I was done. She told me to tell my Dr. to turn it in because they would probably move faster for her. So now the referral cordinator is turning something in to my insurance company, can you tell me is that the request to cover the surgery or a referral just for the Psych Dr. Will the answer what they send back from the referral will that be my answer of approval, or just approval to see the psych dr.?

[ThinnerMe2015 14]

_{My process took 6 months I started back in May and had my surgery in October. good Luck}

Oh wow that was quick. Lucky you, I hope all went well for you, and your recovery is going smooth... Thanks for the response, every bit helps. I see your in Michigan I am too. I am in Saginaw, if you don't mind me asking did you go through Medicare or Medicaid (United Health Care)? I have them both Medicare being my Primary, but when I started I just had Medicaid (United Health Care), then I was also given Medicare October 1,2014... Oops sorry looking at the wrong info your not in Michigan...Sorry

Edited November 6, 2014 by ThinnerMe2015

[ThinnerMe2015 14]

It varies so greatly, every practice is different, every case is different, every insurance company is different and every doctor's schedule is different!

My insurance had no diet requirements, so I thought my surgery would be scheduled really fast. But my surgeon required a bunch of different appointments & test first, then once I finished all that & they submitted to insurance (they took their time getting things submitted) I got approved almost immediately. It was still another week later before I finally got the call to schedule me and by then my surgeon was booked up 2 months out! So, you just never know. Best advice is just go with the flow. There's not much in this whole process that is in your hands or under your control, so you just have to be patient.

It was very agonizing me to wait at times, but it is what it is. Now I am only a week away and it feels like it is coming way too fast!

Wow good luck I hope all goes well and your recovery be easy. As for the waiting yeah it is horrible, I guess because I am excited and ready for a change and start the new chapter of my life, so I do have to sit back and take a deep breath and relax. I hope and pray all goes well for me too, as for getting approved, I've done everything I was suppose to up to this point, so I can only wait on them to continue with after giving approval to go and have my psych evaluation, and meet with a surgeon, I don't know why but from reading a lot of people's journeys, I feel like I am doing mine backwards, a lot of people have already met with their surgeon and say the surgeon be the one to submit the paper work to the insurance, but I have a referral cordinator subitting paper work, is that right?

[ready2B 263]

@@ThinnerMe2015 - Yes, I had a referral coordinator too who submitted the paperwork to insurance. I think most people do, though it may be called different things. Surgeon don't usually handle any of the paperwork themselves other than signing something maybe. Good luck with your approval process. You'll get there eventually!

In the meantime, you can already start your new healthy life now! Start using something to journal what you eat if you aren't already. My Fitness Pal is a great app you can use on your computer or smartphone. Begin weaning off carbonated drinks and if you smoke, quit now. I've lost 25 lbs already (pre-op) and it's been great having better mobility & less pain with just that amount of weight off. I've used Pinterest to find recipes that might be good post-op. Find things to do to keep you busy and the time will go by a lot faster!

[ThinnerMe2015 14]

@@ThinnerMe2015 - Yes, I had a referral coordinator too who submitted the paperwork to insurance. I think most people do, though it may be called different things. Surgeon don't usually handle any of the paperwork themselves other than signing something maybe. Good luck with your approval process. You'll get there eventually!

In the meantime, you can already start your new healthy life now! Start using something to journal what you eat if you aren't already. My Fitness Pal is a great app you can use on your computer or smartphone. Begin weaning off carbonated drinks and if you smoke, quit now. I've lost 25 lbs already (pre-op) and it's been great having better mobility & less pain with just that amount of weight off. I've used Pinterest to find recipes that might be good post-op. Find things to do to keep you busy and the time will go by a lot faster!

Thank you ready I will do just that, start to prepare myself so the new changes won't be such a system shock. I appreciate the feed back, yeah I've decided to just sit back and stop stressing and let the coordinator do her job and wait to here something, because stressing won't make it any quicker, just hard on me for nothing. I will stay positive everything will come back in my favor, that's all I can do, well good luck to you to with your process

[Candace86 0]

Hi, I'm new to this Aldo, and have Medicare. I met with Surgeon, Dietician, at the same day, and surgeon was great and understanding. She recommended the gastric bypass surgery. I'm not sure if Medicare has approved it yet, since I just went a few days ago. They referred me to get a sleep study test, ekg, Gi test, gallbladder test or something, and an appointed on July 3rd for psych I think. But Medicare wanted 3 previous Dr failed diets and it's kinda hard because I'm also in a wheelchair due to spinal bifida and can't exercise to lose weight so there isn't a history of previous diets failed so I don't know what's going to happen yet or if I'll be approved. I will be just absolutely crushed if I'm not approved because I've been so excited!!! I have hypertension, borderline diabetic, extremely obsese, high cholesterol and such...