Carrie_C

soon2b, I called the number on the back of my card. But if yours was just submitted last week, they probably won't have an answer for you yet. But if they are going to deny you, I believe they do it within the first week. The first time I was denied, it took about a week. The second time only took 1 day to be denied. Once we appealed again, it only took a little over 2 weeks for them to approve me. If I were you, I would give it another week and then call. I have heard others say how hard it was to talk to the people at Cigna, but I had no trouble at all. They were all very nice and helpful, and I called A LOT! If your BMI is over 40 and you have done the 6 months diet plus nutrition and psych evals, you will probably get approved. The doctor's office told me almost everyone gets approved, even if they have to appeal a few times.

Cathy, I have open access plus. It is through my husbands work at GE. I have to pay $858 1 week before surgery. But I think the reason I have to pay so much is because I hadn't met my deductible. Your surgery is only 1 week before mine. You will have to let me know how it is, I am getting very scared! I was actually thinking of canceling! But I think it was just nerves. Once I do it, I know I'll be fine.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice! I know that if I don't get the band, I will stay this way. And chances are I will get bigger. I somehow gained 20 pounds over the holidays and I still can't get it off. So I know my options are to take the chance and get the band or stay fat forever. I can't say that I've made up my mind for sure, but I go to the preop class next week and hopefully after the class I won't have so many doubts. My neice is getting married this weekend and I keep thinking how nice it would be if I wasn't so fat at her wedding. Thinking about things like that, and thinking about the other things I will be able to do after losing weight is helping me focus more on the positive things that the band can do and not the negatives. It would also be nice not to have such bad arthritis knee pain this winter.

Thanks everyone. I don't have much of a problem with constipation with my IBS, it is more nausea and diarrhea. I can deal with the diarrhea, but the nausea is what bothers me. I take Alka Seltzer now for it, but I know I won't be able to take that after the band. I guess that's one thing that bothers me. What does everyone else take post band for nausea? I agree that it is a good idea not to visit the board much preband. I don't read the 'complications' section anymore. I was also on youtube, and there were videos there of people who had problems with the band and had to have it removed, and they were still fat! I guess that is another thing that bothers me, going through the surgery and then not losing weight. I think I will feel better once I tell my Mom an everyone about it. I am just worried they won't be supportive.

From what I have been reading, it seems like a lot of people go through this, but I am seriously having second thoughts about having this surgery. I actually can't believe I feel this way. It took me 3 months to get Cigna to approve it, and I was even denied twice. I was approved last week, and I thought I would be happy, but I am not. I have a lot of problems with IBS and nausea now, and I am worried that it will get worse with the band. I just got accepted into RN school for the fall, and I am scared I will be sick all the time with the band and have to drop out of school. A million thoughts are going through my mind about being sick all the time. I also keep thinking of all the reasons to have the surgery. I am 5'7 and I weigh 255 pounds. I have arthritis in both knees. Diabetes and heart disease are very strong in my family. Plus, it would be nice to be able to wear a bathing suit next summer. But everytime I think about the good, I start being afraid that I am going to be sick all the time. I also keep thinking about all the money I have to pay. I have not told anyone but my husband that I am having surgery, and I am scared to even tell my mother. My surgery is scheduled for May 22. I am very confused and could really use some advice.

That's great, I hope mine shrink.

Does anyone know of a good company to finance the coinsurance through? I don't have very good credit, so I am having trouble finding financing. Any help would be appreciated!

I think they will approve you if you keep appealing. Cigna denied me twice (and I have 3 comorbidities), but they finally approved it and I have a surgery date of 5/22. Keep fighting!!

That's great that you only have to pay $100. The doctor's office has been jerking me around. I don't think the insurance cooridinator even knows what she is doing. On the initial consult, they told me I would have to pay $1000 for a program fee. Then when I went to the nutrition eval, they told me that I wouldn't have to pay all of my coinsurance before surgery. They said I would have to pay $750 1 week before surgery and the rest would be due within 6 months. That was all fine with me, I have saved up all the money. But now they are telling me that I have to pay ALL of the coinsurance before sugery. So I am very confused. I don't know if I can come up with all of it at once. I don't see how they can make me pay all of it at once. I am going to have to talk to her supervisor or someone else that knows what they are doing.

I just got my surgery date, it is May 22. I am excited, but also very nervous. I am not sure how many days preop I will have to be on liquids. I go next week for the preop class, so I am guessing they will tell me then. Now I just have to come up with all the money for the coinsurance!

Candle, nice to meet a fellow seller! What do you normally sell?

I just don't see what the difference is in the crystal light mixes that are sugar free and sugar and caffine free tea. They even make mixes now that ARE tea.

Yes, I think that is what they require unless there are major complications and hopefully that won't happen. My plan requires it to be in a hospital and not a surgery center, which is fine with me.

I think it's best not to eat anything and everything before surgery. You will have a harder time adjusting if you do that. My surgeon requires that my weight be the same on the day of surgery that it was on my consult. So gaining any before surgery is not an option for me. He said they have actually had people gain 60 pounds between the consult and the surgery day! He said he refused to do the surgery and sent them home until they lost the extra weight.

You are so right. Ebay is the best place to sell your clothes. I have been a seller for over a year, and plus sizes are what sell.

I don't think Cigna will accept Weight Watchers. I also wonder how people got approved using that. I just wonder if the surgeon's office 'fixes' the records to make them look like they were doctor supervised.

I finally got approved by Cigna as well. I agree with you, it is hard to get them to cover it if you don't have comorbidities. It is also hard if you do. I don't understand how some people get approved in only a few days.

After being denied twice, I received the letter today from Cigna saying that they have approved my surgery! I can't believe it! I should have my surgery date on Monday!

The doctor told me that the decaf tea counts as water as long as it doesn't have any sugar. It is the caffine that has the diuretic, not the tea and coffee. There is no difference in drinking decaf sugar free tea and drinking water with the sugar free mixes.

I would suggest that you find out more education on the band and bypass. I wouldn't advise bypass to ANYONE. I work in a doctor's office and I have seen what bypass can do to someone. But I have also seen patients get the lap band not fully aware of what they are getting into. I know of one patient who got the band and she lost some weight at first, but now she is back up to 300 pounds. People have to realize that it will change your life and you have to make major lifestyle changes for it to work. If you really hate needles and can't get over that fear, then maybe surgery isn't right for you. I would suggest that you read a lot of posts here, there is a lot of helpful information. Good luck.

That's great. I am waiting on approval from Cigna as well. I called today and they said they should have a decision by Friday. Hopefully they will approve us both!

I have the same type. I was denied the first time bacause they didn't receive the nutrition eval (so they said anyway). The second time, they said that they needed a second letter from the RD showing that I had the eval. I don't know why they needed 2 letters. It has been almost 2 weeks since the surgeons office filed the appeal, and I haven't heard anything, so I am hoping that is a good sign. The first time it took them less than a week to deny me and the second time they denied me in less than a day. I have comorbidities that are being controlled, so I don't know if they will deny me because of that. But my BMI is 41, so I don't see what it would matter about comorbidities if my BMI is over 40. What is your BMI?

That's great! I am waiting on approval from Cigna. They have denied me 2 times. Hopefully I will get approved this time. What type of Cigna do you have?

I don't think tenncare covers the procedure. I had tenncare a few years ago and the surgeon wouldn't even consult with me because they wouldn't cover it. It may have changed since then. You could call them up and ask.

Thanks everyone. The surgeon's office has appealed, and they sent in everything to Cigna last week, so I am just waiting to hear. The surgeon is very reputable. I asked about all the fees they charge and they said they are allowed to charge them as long as they tell me ahead of time. They gave me a paper about what all the fees are for, I just haven't had a chance to read it all. I had called Cigna last week, and they said all they needed was a letter from the RD about the nutrition consult. I am hoping they approve me this week. I would just like to get on with it!