kaiser so call

Shelia · October 22, 2007

Hi, I have been reading your thread and I want to know how hard was it to get approved by Kaiser and how long did it take? I just got Kaiser insurance in So Cal and I am not sure what the first step is. What type of Dr do I see first and what mistakes do I have to be careful not to make? I am 260 and 5'6" and my BMI is 42.

Please give me the wisdom of your experience.

Thanks,

Shelia

Vicki J · October 22, 2007

Shelia - I'm in Northern California and believe it or not between the 3 hospitals up here that do the band there are 3 different policies. You would think that Kaiser would have one way of doing things but they don't. The first thing that you need to do up here is to get your primary care doctor to refer you. If you have a bariatric department down there, call them. The one at South San Francisco was really good about explaining the protocol there.

I don't know if they offer the band down there. I have heard that they are offering it in Long Beach. But they will be able to tell you. If they don't offer it, ask them when they plan on offering it. I would be a lot further along in the process if I had asked that question.

Good luck in your journey.

Shelia · October 22, 2007

Thanks Vicki.

I am so eager and I have this fear that I will do something "wrong" and the insurance will deny me. I may have watched too much "Big Medicine"

THanks again,

Shelia

Vicki J · October 23, 2007

I know that they are pretty easy to get started with up here. Mainly if your BMI is over 40 you're in. Then you start the frustrating part of it and have to wait months to get your surgery. But it will get done. We have to be ok'd by the bariatric director, dietician, psychologist and surgeon. None of those are hard. They are really strict about wanting people who will follow the program. They said they have way too many people knocking at the door to give surgery to people who don't want to follow their guidelines.

Otherwise, it's not hard just frustratingly slow. Good luck.