New Beginnings Program - Virtua

[lisw55 0]

Hello All,

I am wondering if anyone has worked with this program. Also, has anyone out their worked with Seth Kipnis from Cherry Hill? If so, I would love to talk to you. Thanks

Leona

[bklyn1984 0]

I do not know about Dr. Kipnis but I belong to New Beginnings. There are a number of people in the support group that have used him. I have not heard anything bad about him. What do you want to know about New Beginnings?

[lisw55 0]

I guess I just want to know if the program is worth $1,950. This is a lot of money for me to spend on top of the time and cost of gas to drive to Voorhees. So, I just want to make sure I am spending the money on a good program. Thanks for any information you may have.

[bklyn1984 0]

I guess I just want to know if the program is worth $1,950. This is a lot of money for me to spend on top of the time and cost of gas to drive to Voorhees. So, I just want to make sure I am spending the money on a good program. Thanks for any information you may have.

Okay well it's $1700.00 for the program and the $250.00 is for the gym portion. Personally I think that it's worth it. I drive in from Burlington Twnshp. I have everything in one building with my appointments coordinated so that I can go upstairs and use the gym. My personal trainer is great. You have 10 visits with the personal trainer and three month gym membership. If decide to continue with the gym after the three months then all you will have to pay is the monthly fee with no additional membership fees. I am not sure of the membership fee right now that's my next question to them since mine is coming up at the beginning of October.

The nurses work with you and the surgeons office to make sure you have everything is in place to send into the insurance company, if you are required to lose weight prior to surgery you will be given a plan to follow, there are the nutritional classes and other classes, it includes nutritionists, support before and after surgery with no time limit, and it includes the behavioral therapist visit who does the psych eval. I plan on submitting a claim form for the behavioral therapist and for my nutritionist visits once I have them. My insurance pays for services like this so hopefully these visits can be included too.

Aftercare is a big thing for me and they will provide the necessary support and assistance for as long as I want to use them. I just won't go home from the hospital and not know what to do. I will be meeting with the nutritionists and they will go over each phase from first coming home, to mushie, and to eventually eating solid foods.

Personally I would go there first and find out if it's for you. Just let them know that you are unsure and would like to go over all of the services that they provide for this cost before making any kind of commitment. Does Dr. Kipnis require you to go to New Beginnings? If not, then I would have his office give you places where you can go and get aftercare support and everything else that is required of you by your insurance company.

[lisw55 0]

BKLYN1984,

Thank you for your response. Dr. Kipnis requires that his patients participate in this program. I was just a bit irritated because someone at his office told me he did not require the program. So, I spent many hours locating similar services (free) on Fort Dix and McGuire to be told I had wasted my time. I understand where he is coming from in that he does not know the registered dietician, exercise physiologist, or personal trainer that I had lined up. So, I will go forward and join the program like it or not.

I guess to help myself justify the cost of the New Beginnings program, I will plan to use the base resources for follow up care. See now, I am feeling better about the whole thing.

Does the behavioral therapist just use interviews or a combo of interview and personality testing to accomplish the psych eval? Do you know his/her qualifications?

Have you attended the support groups? If so, were they helpful? Also, do the cae managers talk about their success rate with the insurance companies? I am just full of so many questions.

This is my last hope. I want to retire sometime in the next 10 years, but I do not want to retire because of my health. Many years ago, I worked on a physical rehabilitation unit and each day I would interview new patients that would tell me their stories about how they had been waiting to retire so they could travel or do other exciting things. Unfortunately, for many of them they experienced life changing health problems such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, etc. and their dreams were taken away. My goal is to stop this from happening. I am commited to the process.

Thanks for listening and know that I appreciate any information. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Leona

[bklyn1984 0]

BKLYN1984,

Thank you for your response. Dr. Kipnis requires that his patients participate in this program. I was just a bit irritated because someone at his office told me he did not require the program. So, I spent many hours locating similar services (free) on Fort Dix and McGuire to be told I had wasted my time. I understand where he is coming from in that he does not know the registered dietician, exercise physiologist, or personal trainer that I had lined up. So, I will go forward and join the program like it or not.

I guess to help myself justify the cost of the New Beginnings program, I will plan to use the base resources for follow up care. See now, I am feeling better about the whole thing.

Does the behavioral therapist just use interviews or a combo of interview and personality testing to accomplish the psych eval? Do you know his/her qualifications?

Have you attended the support groups? If so, were they helpful? Also, do the cae managers talk about their success rate with the insurance companies? I am just full of so many questions.

This is my last hope. I want to retire sometime in the next 10 years, but I do not want to retire because of my health. Many years ago, I worked on a physical rehabilitation unit and each day I would interview new patients that would tell me their stories about how they had been waiting to retire so they could travel or do other exciting things. Unfortunately, for many of them they experienced life changing health problems such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, etc. and their dreams were taken away. My goal is to stop this from happening. I am commited to the process.

Thanks for listening and know that I appreciate any information. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Leona

Leona,

The behavioral therapist just interviewed me. Her office is in the same building where New Beginnings is located. I cannot locate her card right now but they can tell you her credentials.

Yes I do go to the support groups which is combined with gastric patients too. I have found the support group to be very helpful. The behavioral therapist runs the group which is on Thursday nights at 8:00PM. There's no support group on the first Thursday of the month. The behavioral therapist has a handle on the group she does not take sides. Oddly enough there are a lot more lap band patients there. From what I have read on the board here that's not always the case. The nutrition classes are also on Thursday nights and start at 7:00PM and the nutritionists run these.

You will be talking with a nurse in regards to your case and getting things together for the insurance but it is the surgical coordinator or billing person at Dr. Kipnis office who can tell you their success rates with your type of insurance. If Dr. Kipnis gave you a check list to follow bring it with you to your appointment. The nurse may already have it since they worked with him before but just in case I brought a copy.

Now about the gym it's 8 sessions with the trainer not 10 sorry about that. I was there this morning and I noticed that they are running a sale $99.00 membership fee plus the monthly fee. Which is not a part of New Beginnings but I thought if you are okay working out without a trainer this maybe another option. I probably will purchase more time with my trainer since I only have 3 sessions left and I have no surgery date yet . If you choose the gym portion the trainer will go over how to spread out the sessions. In order to get more time with her I will probably pay the $250.00 for 10 sessions. It's a lot but she keeps me motivated to come and she will work you and you will feel it!!

[lisw55 0]

BKLYN1984,

Once again "thank you" so much! It's beginning to make sense and I am feeling better. Hopefully we will meet at the support group meeting. Take care.

Leona

[bklyn1984 0]

BKLYN1984,

Once again "thank you" so much! It's beginning to make sense and I am feeling better. Hopefully we will meet at the support group meeting. Take care.

Leona

Just let me know which one you are going to. There are only two more this month 18th and 25th. Then October's starts up again on the 9th

[lisafitz 18]

I first was going to go with The New Biginnings Program...which is awesome. But the money out of pocket I could not do. My family doctor sent me to Kennedy Stratfort to see Dr. Balsama who I just love...he was the best for me and my ins paid 100% with three visits from home care nurses. Tuesday will be 8 weeks since I have had my lapband and down 17 lbs.....I go for my first fill with him Friday.

[EmsMommy 0]

Hi! I wanted to update that Dr. Kipnis now does surgery at Lady of Lourdes hospital and does not require the New Beginnings program for this. Best of luck to everyone!