1st Consult Appt Wed. 12/21

[az062217vsg 40]

Hi all,

I am new here. I attended a weight loss surgery seminar last week (12/13) and they collected my insurance information. On Friday (12/16) I received a call from them informing me my insurance does cover surgery (not an official approval though, just that it is a covered benefit). I have my first official surgical consult on Wednesday (12/21).

I've started jotting down questions, but I'm wondering if anyone has any questions you asked or wished you had asked.

I'm hoping this process goes smoothly and that I am approved for surgery, but I also know it is a process.

Thanks for any advice!

[ts81096 9]

I am in the very beginning of this process too! I attended a seminar a couple weeks ago. I met with a dietitian today to start my insurance requires 6 month dr monitored weight loss plan. A friend told me that no question is a dumb question. So ask anything & everything that you can!

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[haliib 9]

Hi! I had my first appointment on 11/28 and the best advice i can give you is write all your questions down. Because once you get in there and they start talking technic all that stuff flies out of your head.

Bring a supportive person, my mother came with me and remembered a lot of stuff i forgot to ask.

And font worry if you forget a few questions, you can always call your office or ask at the next appointment.

Good luck!!

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[Finding_Stacy 263]

Hi all,

I am new here. I attended a weight loss surgery seminar last week (12/13) and they collected my insurance information. On Friday (12/16) I received a call from them informing me my insurance does cover surgery (not an official approval though, just that it is a covered benefit). I have my first official surgical consult on Wednesday (12/21).

I've started jotting down questions, but I'm wondering if anyone has any questions you asked or wished you had asked.

I'm hoping this process goes smoothly and that I am approved for surgery, but I also know it is a process.

Thanks for any advice!

Good luck!

I, too, have my first appointment tomorrow with the surgeon, dietician, and psychologist. I'm doing my final run around today to pick up a dvd from the radiologist of some tests I've done last week. When I called my insurance two weeks ago, they said I'm basically approved. I hit all the criteria they need so here's hoping the surgeon will only ask for the minimal outside what I've already had done, and I can get this surgery done in six weeks or less.

[hayleyf3706 150]

Hey! So when I went to my first appointment, as well as the last one I had just before surgery, I took my mother. She is the BEST at thinking of questions to ask. Here's some she remembered to ask:

1. Which surgery does he recommend?

2. How long will you be out of work?

3. How long has he done this/how many surgeries has he done?
4. What's his success rate?

5. Does he keep an eye on you post-op?

6. What does he require before surgery?

Stuff like tha! Hope that helps!

[az062217vsg 40]

Thanks, all! My mom has insisted that she come to the appt, so she will be there with tons of questions probably.

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[kaypitre5 28]

I attended a seminar last week & they called me right afterwards and told me that my insurance covered bariatric surgery. I have my first consultation on Jan 18 & im more nervous then excited! I contacted my insurance company to see are their any requirements before approval and she stated there is a 90 day supervised diet program before approval. I cant wait!

[Finding_Stacy 263]

Thanks, all! My mom has insisted that she come to the appt, so she will be there with tons of questions probably.

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Hey Lorin, so how did it go today?

[az062217vsg 40]

Thanks, all! My mom has insisted that she come to the appt, so she will be there with tons of questions probably.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hey Lorin, so how did it go today?

Not as well as I had hoped. It looks like I likely won't qualify for insurance to pay for the surgery. I am a little taller than I thought, so my BMI is below 40 and I do not have any comorbidities (I did have back surgery for a herniated disc due to being overweight and have hypothyroidism so when we submit to insurance we will try including those). If we are going to try the insurance route I need to do a medically supervised diet for 6 months. The nurse practitioner and bariatric coordinator both said to not lose much weight though during the 6 months since my BMI is already below 40. The self-pay cost would be $18,025.

I think I am going to check with one more surgeon in town to see what his self-pay prices would be (he is also at a closer hospital to my house).

I will probably go with the surgeon with the cheaper self-pay price, so that if insurance does deny after the 6 months of dieting I can move forward with a loan.

[Finding_Stacy 263]

Thanks, all! My mom has insisted that she come to the appt, so she will be there with tons of questions probably.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hey Lorin, so how did it go today?

Not as well as I had hoped. It looks like I likely won't qualify for insurance to pay for the surgery. I am a little taller than I thought, so my BMI is below 40 and I do not have any comorbidities (I did have back surgery for a herniated disc due to being overweight and have hypothyroidism so when we submit to insurance we will try including those). If we are going to try the insurance route I need to do a medically supervised diet for 6 months. The nurse practitioner and bariatric coordinator both said to not lose much weight though during the 6 months since my BMI is already below 40. The self-pay cost would be $18,025.

I think I am going to check with one more surgeon in town to see what his self-pay prices would be (he is also at a closer hospital to my house).

I will probably go with the surgeon with the cheaper self-pay price, so that if insurance does deny after the 6 months of dieting I can move forward with a loan.

Awe, I'm so sorry. I'm kind of surprised they knew already that insurance wouldn't cover it. I think I'd call them myself. I know it sounds like a 'hell no' idea, but I've read so many people going to a specific place in Mexico and having it done. An all inclusive place, one week stay, for 4k. At first I was thinking they're crazy but thousands of patients go there with rave reviews. But if I was self pay and could afford it, of course I'd go with a qualified doctor state side.

All I can say is don't give up. Do you have sleep apnea by chance? Have you ever had a sleep study? My three things that will qualify me with my insurance is my bmi, hypothyroidism, and sleep apnea. I don't have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes-->knock on wood.

But I too had something thrown at me today that I sort of thought was a possibility, but hoping it wouldn't be the case. My doctor wants me to have the ds done and I just don't know how I feel about that. It would be broken up into two surgeries, sleeve first, then in 6-12 months the ds part. I just don't know. That is the mac daddy of weight loss procedures. I'm not sure why he and his nurse practitioner was so persistent to get me on board.

Yes, I want the sleeve but I am trying to have an open mind because he really does know what he's talking about and has seen the outcomes thousands of times. But it's not like they're doing the ds at my first surgery anyway, so not sure why the pressure to get me to jump on board quite so soon before we give the sleeve a try, unless of course, it's to bill insurance even if the first surgery is the sleeve. I don't know why he doesn't say 'ok, sleeve first and if the results stop coming in, let's go ahead and do the ds.' That sounds reasonable.