Mommie4

You're welcome. Hopefully, your insurance company does have this... I know my BCBS does... good luck. I'm still waiting too.. got my last cardiologist appt on Monday...I need my written approval from him, then it's a go...

I checked they do have the option to check but there is nothing about it yet. Good luck with yours. I know that I will have 2-3 more appointments if Im approved, before suegery. I was hoping I was all done with appointments but I guess not..lol

You can check their website. If you have a log-in, you usually can track the progress for any sumbitted approvals.

Thank you, I did not know that! But you can bet that I will be checking it..lol

My surgeon submitted my paperwork to insurance on the 25th. I am waiting and praying that I get approved! I hope I her something Monday! Im not sure if the insurance calls me or if they tell my surgeon and they call and tell me...either way, I cannot wait!!

Me too! Took 1 day, very excited.

ONE DAY??? I just called my insurance and they got my forms on the 25th and it still under review...lol cross your fingers please! she said to call back next week about mid way through. ugh...I WANT TO KNOW NOW!! lol

I am switching surgeons. I go meet new surgeon next week. I am not starting my deductible over and my surgeon now can not do my surgery till Jan if Im approved. I just wanna be done with all this already!!

Approved! I'm so happy.

OH YAY!!!!! congrats!! when is your surgery??

I have united health care, but your work can decide on the requirements and they don't require a 5 year history. I know this doesn't help, but I know of several who had to show 5 years of being above a certain BMI.

ya, mine is a BMI over 35. I was wondering if anyone had any issues with their BMI being under the required number. I have two of the five years where my BMI was under due to being on diets and losing a little weight. I called the insurance and they said as long as the surgeon notes on there that I was doing a diet plan then it may not go against me. I don't know, guess we will see!!

My hubby and I are both pre-op and awaiting approval. He was submitted for approval today, and I'm hoping to be submitted by mid-week. We're meeting with our surgeon on 9/26, and I can't wait!!!

how exciting, doing it together!!!! Good luck to you both!!!

If they approved one surgeon can't see why it can't be transferred to another that is in network. I mean, all the paperwork and test are done...should be relatively easy. Hopefully, the new doc will only need to see you for an office visit...

I know right! You would think it would be easy but so far this has been a pain in the butt!! lol I am going to do my best to switch!!

Are there other requirements that your insurance wants? What insurance do you have? Is he that busy that he doesn't have any openings?

I want mine done before the deductible sets in again.

Oh, and I have UNITED HEATH CARE. they said since my bmi was under 35 for two years of the 5yr weight history they are wanting, that as long as my surgeon notes on there that I was doing weight loss plans and had lost some weight at that time, that it wont go against me, I can still get approved as long as they know why it was under 35.

Yep. Call your insurance company. In fact, you probably can go on their website and find a doctor that is in Network... If the doc is that busy and you've got everything else lined up, I say try to find someone else in your area.

Good luck.

Ya all my stuff is done. They are sending it in to the insurance, I figured it was too late since I had all my appointments done and the surgeon was sending in my paperwork. I will check online, Thanks!!

I went in for my surgical consult on September 10th after completing ALL their requirements and my insurance requirement. My surgeon told me I couldn't do RNY, but could do VSG. My insurance won't approve VSG yet. So, I've gone to another surgeon with a Military Treatment Facility and I meet with him on October 2nd to find out if I can even do VSG. They said maybe not because I donated a kidney in 1986. OMG I am so frustrated!!! I just want to be healthy and doesn't seem as though anyone is willing to help.

That sounds frustrating! Good luck. I am switching surgeons too. Mine cant do my surgery till Jan and that's gonna start a whole new year for my deductible and right now my deductible is all paid up. He does other kind of surgeries so he is extremely busy I guess. But I want my surgery this year!

Almost there. I thought for sure all my test would be wrapped as of yesterday, but no such luck. I had my cardio stress test and even though it and 2 separate EKGs looked fine, and the echo was fine on wednesday, my cardiologist now wants me to do a Nuclear Stress Test next week. Seems, he figured out, he can order more test without pre-approval and certifications and the insurance company will pay because I have a premium plan. So, I guess, he's trying to get every dime he can. I've seen him 5x already..I mean dude, really..lol.. there's nothing wrong with my heart at all. But I'll play along because I need him to sign off by October 2 because I have my last appointment with the NUT & Surgeon... hoped to be scheduled for surgery in Mid-October.

It is true all the plans are different. I had no 6 month supervised diet, only had to visit the doctors office in three separate, yet consecutive months. What's nice about my docs office is that the psych and the NUT are part of his Bariatric Practice and they are all located in one building. I did have to do GI series, Lab Work, but no sleep study, no nicotine testing, no pulmonary test and no endoscopy either.

That is crazy, my surgeon said that I will have like 3 more appointments before surgery and its with people I have already seen!! Makes you wonder. good luck, I know how you feel, jumping through hoops like circus dog!!

Is there anyone else that you could go to?

I am going to look into it. Im new to all this so Im not sure how to find out what surgeons are in my network, I guess I just call the insurance. But ya I am going to find someone who can do it before the end of the year, my deductible is already met and I am not waiting till January!

Where in Illinois do you live? I am officially in your shoes. I did my Psyc eval yesterday, he submitted to my surgeon, and she submitted it to insurance this morning. Should be about a week before I am approved. I also got my tentative surgery date, and pre op appt set. Is so real now, I've got to pull out my notebook and start planning! Rest assure, I will be calling my insurance to get the ball rolling faster. Good luck.

Sorry just saw this...I live in Staunton,il.. And I called my surgeons office and I have to wait till January because he is just that busy! I just hope I get apooved! Waiting isn't that big a deal since Im on the edge...may or may not get approved.

Are there other requirements that your insurance wants? What insurance do you have? Is he that busy that he doesn't have any openings?

I want mine done before the deductible sets in again.

I am calling his office today! I didn't even think about the deductible till you mentioned it!!!!! I did everything my insurance wants me to do. He did say there was like 2-3 more appointments like meet again with the nut I guess and something else, I don't remember. But I am def calling!!!

I can not possibly be the only one with a 5yr weight history who has gone through this....please let me know how your outcome was!!!

I don't understand why my surgeon said If I get approved then I have surgery in Jan?? Looks like most of you all get your surgery like a month or two after approval, weird.

Hey all! I am updating my status on here. I went to see my surgeon today and the 5yr weight history is probably going to get me denied. I am 5'6 and 252lbs currently but the insurance wants to see that I was over weight BMi over 35 for the last 5yrs. well my bmi was 33.9 for about 2 of those years. Surgeon said he has seen it go both ways, get denied by some and approved by some. So basically is sit and wait now. He said it could take about a month..ugh...I don't wanna wait a month and Im hoping I don't have to. I have UHC and I hope they get on it and over look my weight history!! lol

hope you approved! My insurance is not that invasive all I have to is the 6month diet which I'm looking for doctors to start that with they gave all the required paperwork for the insurance company that will have to submitted. I'm glad no one is going back 5years.

Ya its a pain in the butt! I would have rather had the 6mo diet. I thought my BMI was over 35 for that long but like 2 yrs it was under. I just hope they give it to me!! I guess I can appeal it if not, but im tired of this already..lol

I have everything done...I have been approved, the drs office got my approval, I saw my surgeon once....waiting for the drs office to call me back with my next step..I think I have to see the surgeon again with a family member..then I get scheduled...my dr is on vacation this week....and another week in Oct...so I might not get in til November

YAY!!! congrats! If I get approved I can not have surgery till January!! But right now my 5yr weight history is probably going to keep me from having it, 2 of the yrs my BMI was under 35 so Im just praying now that the insurance over looks it or at least just goes ahead and approves me!

I have UHC and I saw my surgeon today, all my appointments are done and today I gave my surgeon my 5yr weight history from my doc that needs to go to UHC. he said what they are looking for is a BMI of 35+ for the last five years and 2 of my 5 yrs my BMI was 33.9. I am wondering if any one else had to have a 5yr history and if you had a year or two that was off? Did you still get approved? My surgeon said he has seen it go both ways, some will deny and some will over look it and approve you. I would love to hear your stories and hopefully hear some good outcomes! lol He also said that I may not hear back from them for a month!! I was hoping I hear in like a week or two..all I have been doing is appointments and waiting..im so tired of the hoops already!!

Well, Dr. Eagon was very nice and I had to give him my 5yr weight history for the insurance and he said that what they want to see is a BMI of 35+ for last five years and 2 of my 5yrs my BMI was only 33.9. He said he has seen insurance companies deny you over just one year being under...Im worried and I don't have the best of luck so the odds are against me already. Im already down about it beause I have a feeling the insurance will deny me and Ill have to wait another year or so. We can appeal it and I will but I don't know how this is gonna turn out. He said that I may not hear back for about a month. And IF I get approved we will do surgery in January, I was hoping for a sooner date but now all I want is approval, I will deal with a January surgery! lol

Hey! I'm using Dr.snow in St.louis too. I also live in IL. I just got approved. I hope you do too!

Oh cool!! I have Dr. Eagon. I saw him today and we are a little worried like I though about the 5yr weight history. My BMI has to be 35 or over for the last 5yrs and two of the years it was 33.9!! Basically all I can do is pray. Dr. eagon said hes seen some insurances completely look over that stuff and he has seen some deny you if even one year wasn't 35 or higher. But he did say it might take a month before I hear anything. And if Im approved we wont be doing surgery till January!!!! UGH oh well, right now im just hoping I get approved!!

I completed all my pre-ops and I am now waiting for my surgeons office to call and let me know that they have submitted everything to the insurance company.

So now the waiting game for you! good luck, crossing my fingers for you!! You must be excited!!