LumpySpacePrincess

Did you find the information you need? It should actually be outlined in the coverage book they sent you when you signed up for the insurance. Mine does cover it (I have HBCBSNJ Direct Access) and I'm paying about $900 per month. As far as I know from what I've read on their application, you must have a BMI over 40, have tried a monitored conservative weight loss attempt at some point in the last year, and be over the age of 18. I hope you get approved! I'm waiting on my approval now!

Crossing my fingers I get a (good) call today about it! I also keep checking my online services area under authorizations but nothing yet. I've lost almost 20 pounds on my pre-op diet, which is just 10 under what they were hoping I would lose so I'm pretty much ready! I'd walk into the OR today if I could! haha

Called and they told me they couldn't give me an answer over the phone and that "it may take up to 30 calendar days to process this request." I don't think it will take that long, but the waiting is excruciating!

No, I'll probably wait until tomorrow afternoon to call since everything was just sent in at 9am this morning. I know the squeaky wheel gets the grease but I'm almost afraid if I call they'll deny me for being annoying. haha

The waiting kills me. I keep checking my Horizon online account every few hours to see if anything has come in! lol Going to be a long weekend if I don't hear anything by tomorrow!

No surgery date yet. Waiting on the insurance approval, and the packet went out this morning! I love Meredith! Such an easy going nutritionist; her plan is so easy to follow! Thanks for the info on the hospital! Sounds really fantastic and I'm happy I chose Valley!!

Thank you, Jersey! That's interesting because I am also going through Valley (Dr. Bagloo)! What did you think of the actual procedure with them? How was the hospital itself? I know at Holy Name Hospital they have individual monitors where you can go online and watch tv to be "entertained" while you wait or to distract yourself. Anything like that at Valley? I know I probably won't care when I'm all doped up, but these things cross my mind! Please share your Valley experience!!

Anyone have any experience with submitting to them, how long it takes to get a response, approval rate? From what I'm finding (and what the insurance coordinator for my surgeon says) they seem to be approving a lot of people very easily right now. All of my pre-op work is done, except the last consult with my surgeon before surgery and setting a date. Let me know if you have any experience with them!

The insurance coordinator at my surgeon's office recommended Horizon BCBS NJ as the easiest to get approved for surgery with. I want the sleeve, but the problem is I can't get the company to tell me if they cover the sleeve without buying a policy first. I really don't want to waste thousands of dollars for a plan for a few months just for them to tell me the sleeve isn't a covered surgery. Does anyone have any experience with this? It says that bariatric surgery is covered under several of their individual self-pay plans, but it doesn't tell me if there are exclusions to that. Thanks!