New with some Questions

[mckenzie 0]

I have a couple of questions if anyone out there could help. Well to start I have bcbs if il hmo insurance. I went to my pcp back in march to get info on the lap band, they told me in order for my insurance to pay for it I need to be seen once a month for one year. Then after that they can refer me to a surgeon. Does any one else have a hmo? Do you know if there is any way around see them for a year? and if not how long will it take after the year? Or would it be better for me (faster) to change my insurance to a ppo???

:help:

[shatay 0]

I have Amerihealth HMO. They do not have that requirement. I asked my PCP in March, had my first appointment with the surgeon in May and was banded on 7/17/07. The approval took less than three days. I had a BMI of 37 and I am diabetic. The doctors assistant told me that the insurance companies are all different in what they require. I was really lucky I guess, my employer changed from Atena to Amerihealth in January, from what I'm told Atena requires two years of supervised diets before they will approve.