nebraskahickchi

OOOoookkkk... UPDATE UPDATE: As frustrating as this is... I WILL HAVE THE LAP BAND SURGERY BY THE END OF THE YEAR IF IT KILLS ME... well, maybe not THAT drastic... but I have been trying to do this for 4 years now. Maybe just not hard enough? Anyway... this is what I went through. I had insurance through my job. I was approved in July 2008 for the surgery. Also, in July 2008, my insurance was cancelled due to my hours being cut at work. So... per my husband's insurance, I began the 6-month dietary consult. At the end of my 6 months, my work made a change in insurance coverage stating that the minimum hours policy had been waived. I got MY insurance back. I made the appt with my doctor and called my insurance company. Lo and behold they only requested an updated Physician's Verification Letter (Letter of Medical Necessity). My downpayment is paid... I am just waiting for the insurance company to receive the faxed PVL from the doc's office... and then their authorization. I started calling last week and I will call EVERY SINGLE DAY TIL I GET RESULTS!! So... wish me luck... I hope to post my surgery date sssssoooooonnnnn!! :crying:

OOOoookkkk... UPDATE UPDATE: As frustrating as this is... I WILL HAVE THE LAP BAND SURGERY BY THE END OF THE YEAR IF IT KILLS ME... well, maybe not THAT drastic... but I have been trying to do this for 4 years now. Maybe just not hard enough? Anyway... this is what I went through. I had insurance through my job. I was approved in July 2008 for the surgery. Also, in July 2008, my insurance was cancelled due to my hours being cut at work. So... per my husband's insurance, I began the 6-month dietary consult. At the end of my 6 months, my work made a change in insurance coverage stating that the minimum hours policy had been waived. I got MY insurance back. I made the appt with my doctor and called my insurance company. Lo and behold they only requested an updated Physician's Verification Letter (Letter of Medical Necessity). My downpayment is paid... I am just waiting for the insurance company to receive the faxed PVL from the doc's office... and then their authorization. I started calling last week and I will call EVERY SINGLE DAY TIL I GET RESULTS!! So... wish me luck... I hope to post my surgery date sssssoooooonnnnn!!

Well, I have been trying to get this surgery approved through my insurance since February... and have actually been considering it for a couple of years now. The good news is on July 17, 2008 I received an approval letter from my insurance company. The horrible news is it may never happen for me. In June I was informed by my human resources dept. that I didn't work enough hours in the previous 3 month period to qualify for benefits. I took a lot of vacation days and downtime due to my health but didn't have the doctor's visits or notes to back it up. I am 330 lbs now, diabetic with NASH (non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis - a liver issue due to diabetes and weight). I also suffer from horrific migraines. So... I signed up for the COBRA insurance... I got the bill in the mail for my insurance shorthly after I got my approval for surgery... $1800... due by August 25th... !!! That is premiums for 2 months at $500 each and $800 due on my flexible spending account that I had already used for medications and medical bills. Well, that might as well be $1,000,000. =( I am seriously working 30 hours of overtime this week and get paid bi-weekly. I tried to get a loan through my bank, but with my 2 car loans I am maxed out. I am crushed. I don't know what to do. I will be eligible for insurance through work again in October or November. However, I spoke to my insurance and asked them if I were to be cancelled what would happen... they weren't sure if the new policy would consider my request for surgery as something of a pre-existing condition or not. They advised I just pay the $1800. Is there an insurance person that could honestly tell me what to do here? Or a millionaire somewhere that has $1800 in change laying around? I have worked so hard to get this surgery approved. My insurance is Blue Cross/Blue Shield of California. I work for Marriott Hotels. I also have to come up with $1000 for a downpayment for surgery, however, the approval letter I have from the ins company says it is good until January 1, 2009.... so I am certain I can come up with that in time. Any words of wisdom? :biggrin: Carleen

UPDATE: Yes, my surgery was cancelled last year because I lost my insurance due to losing hours... couldn't keep the quota. Mr. Marriott apparently felt sorry for us who lost our ins. due to that problem as he remedied it by waiving the minimum hours worked policy!! So, YAY... I jumped right on that and have $100 left to pay on my downpayment and I am STILL approved!! Should have a surgery date scheduled within the next couple of weeks... I won't have surgery, just the date... and they say it's going to be before the end of the year!!!!!!!!!!! I am soooooooooo, soooooooo excited!!