FireWife678

Thanks for posting this! I had the same questions! Can I ask which surgeon youre going to? Were in the same town and Im assuming that if your husband works for the city of Des Moines, we have the same kind of insurance. (Im in public works)
Hoping for a surgery date in fall/winter some time!

Ok guys, glad I did my homework...I called member services myself and I urge you all to do the same when it comes to the unforeseen fees from the Dr's office. So what they told me is...I have a $250 copay for my inpatient stay at the hospital and that I should not be forced to pay that inpatient fee for the surgeon's office also unless it was a standalone clinic and I was sleeping there. It's not, I'm going to the hospital.
Member services helped me greatly, they informed me that since I've paid my fee for the hospital, the surgeon's fee will be paid once the hospital has been paid and any remaining fees will be my responsibility but it looks like after I pay the copay, I am covered at 100%, so I am all good.
Luckily I had the staff call member services at Kaiser to tell her what I owe because she said she got her information from the guy at St. Agnes(the hospital) and he only quoted her what I owed them and she thought I pay them the same.
Just remember, you don't know the skill set of the person you are putting in control of your business, know when something is not right and ask as many questions as it takes until you have a full understanding.
I just got my apology call and I am more than forgiving and thankful that it's all cleared up but heed this head up warning!! Surgery is a go for 4/23 and I'm as ready as I will ever be to get it over with...lol.
Good luck to you all...

Not sure if each state is different but I have had a couple of surgeries in the last few years and a couple months afterwards I usually would get a bill from the facility, from the surgeon, from the anesthesiologist as well as any from labs that they had to do. The lab ones are usually like $20 and the anesthesia ones are like $100-200. But I switched jobs this past August so thankfully my max out of pocket for this surgery is now only $500. Used to be $3,000. I too hate surprises, but I think what we all end up spending, for us it will be worth it Good luck with everything!!

This past week a number of claims showed up on my insurance account for pre-op visits and testing. We all know these things are necessary for approval. But it dawned on me today that if insurance hadn't approved my surgery, I would be stuck with $4,000 in medical bills (counting only those that were initially denied) for appointments leading up to insurance submission.
Thankfully approval was a simple process with my generous insurer, but I don't want anyone left with loads of debt just because their insurer is nit-pickingly particular. If you are contemplating surgery and plan to use insurance, PLEASE check your coverage and pre-certification requirements carefully before scheduling your first bariatric center appointment (after the free info session). Make sure you are well enough over the insurer's weight requirement. If your insurance requires that you have been over a certain weight for a X number of years, be certain you can obtain acceptable evidence (some insurers require a four-year history!). If you only qualify on the basis of pre-existing conditions, make sure you have been formally diagnosed and recently evaluated. And so forth.
Wishing everyone the best!

Hey there - I've been griping a lot about how long this was taking with my HMO, and even complained and then complained again when I didn't hear back. Also had a good advocate in the WLS clinic coordinator - and all told, but I got my psych eval moved from a psychologist to a social worker (more available) and that bumped me up nearly a month, then my pre-op scheduled for four weeks later - when I'd been told it would be 2-3 months, and expected a surgery date 2-3 months after that.
Well, knock me over with a feather - but the surgeon himself called me today and apologized for all the run around I'd had AND said since he was seeing me April 24 that he could do my surgery on an opening April 29th! I about fell over!! My poor husband thought he'd have 3-6 months yet to get adjusted to the idea (we know how men tend to dislike change, right?!) and he was in shock. In fact as he's recovering from the news he says, 'Now you have to decide if you really want to do this I guess." Hello? H*LL YES I WANT TO DO THIS!! Have I talked about anything else other than work, kids and surgery since November? I think not. He's more or less recovered from the upset and is fully and totally supportive and all, but the shock was a stunner. Me too.
Shocked, but thrilled!
Kate

I have BCBS NJ and also going to a center of excellence... Hoping for a fast approval.

I am also going to a center of excellence, the only one listed in my area, so I'm happy because I found thaf out!

I agree, I also have BCBS IL and no hoops either. Since I went to a center of excellence, they are quicker to approve.

My Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois is not difficult to work with at all. I don't have to do a six month assessment with my PCP, some BCBS does, but not hard to work with.

Honestly I didn't feel any need to tell anyone at work but then my boss said, "Just don't lie about it like other people I know. One girl said she does Water aerobics and I had to tell her to stop lying." Really? Wow. I don't think it's lying if she really is doing aerobics but it's not their business "how" she's losing weight anyways! If you had a Tummy Tuck or something would that be everyone's business, too? I told her that maybe in time that I might feel free to discuss it but for now I'd appreciate it if she kept it between us. She said someone might be able to benefit from it if they were contemplating surgery...well not being ugly but they can do their research just like I did. Besides, I know most of the catty, two faced people that would be bold enough to ask me directly are not asking because they need help to lose weight. It's because they are nosey. Another girl in my office had surgery and some of them were bold enough to ask me what she was doing to drop weight so quickly. I told them to ask her. Geez. Some people just have nerve! I wish I was confident to just not care and come straight out but it's like a bunch of mean girls in high school and of course they are all tiny...Oh well. I'll come up with something.

It's none of their business! I don't know why we feel like we are obligated to share intimate details of our lives with our coworkers. If you feel comfortable that's fine but personally I don't.
I have seen people use personal information against me and other people and I'm not having it.
If you were having a hysterectomy or something would you tell them? Why do you think it's any of their business?

I am just in the beginning stages of the process and have only told two people I work with. My Zumba partner and my ex sister in law. My ZP was super supportive and excited for me, ex SIL was a little surprised. I will not be telling the grouchy, gossiper. Especially because she has a snide comment for every person when they take even an hour off work. So I can imagine her reaction when I tell them I need two plus weeks off lol. I think my supervisor will be supportive but I am still on the fence about what to tell her. She does know that a hysterectomy is a possibility for me in the future so maybe she will just assume that is what it is. I still have months to think about this though as I haven't even met with my surgeon for the first time yet! Good luck in whatever you decide to tell or not tell!

I too am curious about this. I am only in the beginning stages of the process and haven't confided in my boss yet. Mainly because I have only been in my current job since August. I have a desk job so strenuous activity is not at all a concern. Plus I am not at all in a high profile/visible position so I think my absence will not create much issue. I think I just worry unnecessarily. I am hoping two weeks will be enough, I have had several stomach (gallbladder, gynecological, etc) surgeries and have healed quickly from those so I am hopeful. Also, I am new to this site and can't wait to read everyone's successes!!