Anthem BCBS Approval Time

[smb123 51]

Hello All,

I work at Wells Fargo and have Anthem BCBS with them. I am in process to complete my 6 month diet requirement for surgery in the middle of December! My doctor said if they get my approval back within 5 business days they can get me in before year end. This makes a big difference in paying $1k then to $5k in January.

Anyone who works with Wells with this insurance, I just want to know approval timeframe?

[Briswife15 890]

I have Anthem BCBS too. Your doc is right. They have a quick turnaround. However, my doctor's office did not send the referral to Anthem the day I finished my 6 months requirement. My doctor's office probably took 10 days to complete the paperwork on their end and forward to Anthem. Hope this helps. And hood good luck!! Hoping it all falls onto place for you.

Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

[smb123 51]

57 minutes ago, Briswife15 said:

I have Anthem BCBS too. Your doc is right. They have a quick turnaround. However, my doctor's office did not send the referral to Anthem the day I finished my 6 months requirement. My doctor's office probably took 10 days to complete the paperwork on their end and forward to Anthem. Hope this helps. And hood good luck!! Hoping it all falls onto place for you.

Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you so much for that!! They want to get me in and they have already told the administration person to have everything ready to submit the day I complete! 🤞🏻🤞🏻 If they approve quick I only have 14 days remaining after I complete to get approval and a scheduled surgery!! 😳😳

[Mom_of_Chaos 545]

Wow! Booked up til 2020 in July? That’s crazy your surgeon is a busy guy! Good luck!!! We are UHS not BCBS but our approval took right at a week.

[smb123 51]

24 minutes ago, Mom_of_Chaos said:

Wow! Booked up til 2020 in July? That’s crazy your surgeon is a busy guy! Good luck!!! We are UHS not BCBS but our approval took right at a week.

He isn’t booked until then! Didn’t mean it to sound like that! He wants to get me into sugary before year end so I don’t have to pay that much!! So hopefully they give approval quick!

[ZGal 84]

I was prepared to have a long wait, and I have anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as well. I found out within 48 hours that I was approved. My doctors office was on top of everything and let me know as soon as they found out I was approved. I was approved three days before my scheduled surgery, because they scheduled me very soon after my final nutrition appointment. So once I had everything all set, they submitted everything

Edited July 25, 2019 by ZGal

[smb123 51]

1 hour ago, ZGal said:

I was prepared to have a long wait, and I have anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as well. I found out within 48 hours that I was approved. My doctors office was on top of everything and let me know as soon as they found out I was approved. I was approved three days before my scheduled surgery, because they scheduled me very soon after my final nutrition appointment. So once I had everything all set, they submitted everything

That is very good to hear! My doctor already told the admin to have everything ready to submit after my last visit. My last visit is going to be December 5th. So that only gives me 16 business days before the end of the year to get approved and surgery 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤷🏼‍♀️ Having my fingers crossed the whole time!

[ZGal 84]

12 hours ago, smb123 said:

That is very good to hear! My doctor already told the admin to have everything ready to submit after my last visit. My last visit is going to be December 5th. So that only gives me 16 business days before the end of the year to get approved and surgery 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤷🏼‍♀️ Having my fingers crossed the whole time!

If your dr’s office is on top of it- you’ll be fine! I even spoke with my dr to ask “what if I don’t get approved?” And he didn’t feel I would have any issue because BcBS is common (it wasn’t like I had a more obscure insurance, ya know?); and he was right! No issue! I do know the stress you’re feeling though- I went through the same feelings!

[TX2NC 28]

My request was sent to Anthem on 7/25 and my approval was received on Friday 8/9. I actually think it came in the day before, based on the fact that my surgeon’s office called early in the day.
Best of luck!

[doinitforV 6]

Hello All,
I work at Wells Fargo and have Anthem BCBS with them. I am in process to complete my 6 month diet requirement for surgery in the middle of December! My doctor said if they get my approval back within 5 business days they can get me in before year end. This makes a big difference in paying $1k then to $5k in January.
Anyone who works with Wells with this insurance, I just want to know approval timeframe?

Hi smb123,
I work with WF as well! I just finished my 7 month diet. My surgeons office stated that BCBS wouldn't recognize the first month as my starting month so therefore I had to complete 7 mo and not 6! Eventhough when I called BCBS I was told only 6 months was required. I just went with it, because I didn't want to go back and forth with the coordinator. Needless to say my info was submitted on this week Monday!!!! So now it's the waiting game! I will keep you posted. Good luck to you!


V4

[doinitforV 6]

Hi smb123,
I work with WF as well! I just finished my 7 month diet. My surgeons office stated that BCBS wouldn't recognize the first month as my starting month so therefore I had to complete 7 mo and not 6! Eventhough when I called BCBS I was told only 6 months was required. I just went with it, because I didn't want to go back and forth with the coordinator. Needless to say my info was submitted on this week Monday!!!! So now it's the waiting game! I will keep you posted. Good luck to you!


V4

I was approved today, it only took 5 days!

V4