Charlie524

Hi Restless, I know, I was thinking about this as well. May 18th-June 21st is my only other open window. We have a job on May 9th, May 16th and June 28th so if it is not done within that week of May 18th I would have to wait until October! When I first started seeing them they were supposed to be in the network within 3-5 weeks so it does bother me a little but I have already grown attached. I am going to attend another dr's seminar on march 23rd so we will see.

Oh and my annual cap is $7500, after I spend that much they cover 100%.

I think I have decided to wait until this dr is in the network, it should be 6-8 weeks. I am in the wedding business and our busy season is really only starting in June. I think if I can get this done within May I should be fine. I know there are a lot of great surgeons out there, but I really like this dr and his entire staff so would like to use them,

Hi Everyone, I am just in the starting phases. I am out in Thousand Oaks but would love to have a local support group. I am hoping to have the surgery around the middle of may.

So I have Anthem of CA which covers surgery as long as it is approved and my dr. is a provider at 70% after I pay my $2500 deductible. The dr. I have met with so far and really like isn't a provider, but will be within 6-8 weeks. I really wanted to get surgery prior due to my job being right in the summer. I wanted to have time to recover before and give myself a lot of time to heal. So here are my options...wait until they become a provider and use my insurance (still pay about $6k out of pocket with deductible and remaining 30%) Use them as an out of network provider and my insurance will pay 50% of the amount allowed but i have no idea what that is. Pay the dr. out of pocket $4k and bill my insurance just for the surgery which will end up costing me out of pocket about $9k. Would you wait the extra few months to save $4k. I am not rich by any means so that is a lot for me, but having the healing time is really important as well. I am so confused!

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your responses and feel a lot less stressed now :lunch:.

I have not been scheduled for my surgery yet but I have had surgeries before where I have been put under but have never had a breathing tube, that I know of. Is this done with all lap band surgeries and do you feel it? Do they put it in after you are already out. This scares me a lot because I have a huge issue with my throat and choking and just want to make sure you don't actually feel it being put in. I have watched on tv when they do surgeries and see it being pulled out as they bring people too and they kinda gag. I am going for my first group meeting tomorrow and will be asking this, but I am freaking out about it. I am just a weirdo! I love this forum though, it's been really great getting information. I am very nervous about the whole thing.

My insurance will cover 70% of the surgery but only after I pay my $2500 deductible, so all in all I need about $6k and I was approved for $3k. I can probably get together $3k on my own so I might just do that rather than increase the credit line. I have my first real meeting at the dr office tomorrow so I will ask a lot of questions and hopefully get the answers I need.

Has anyone used this company to help pay for their surgery? I got the information package from my dr.'s office and applied and was approved but not for nearly enough to cover the surgery. I am wondering how easy it is to get a credit line increase?

Thank you for the response. Are you happy with the decision? I see you just had the surgery done, how has it been so far? I am hoping to be scheduled for a late April/ early May surgery date.

Hi everyone, I apologize if this has been asked before. I did a search and couldn't really find any answers. The dr. I am currently looking to use for surgery offers both bands and says the choice is really up to me on which one to use. I liked the look of the lap band better than the realize band, but I like the support website of the realize and I read it is safer and the shape is better which causes less slippage etc. but I have no idea. Can anyone give me any insight on one vs. the other? TIA!

Hey Bandpal, Thanks for the welcome. I am a girl actually..Charlie is my dog :thumbup: I know that this is not a quick fix, I have actually been very successful with weight loss before (60 + lbs with Weight Watchers etc.) Since I have been on meds though I have found it extremely difficult and frustrating and I have now had to grasp the fact that I might be on my medication for life, so I would like my weight to not be something I have to worry about. I worry more about my weight than my other health issues and that is why I have turned to this solution.

Hi everyone, I have been thinking of getting lap band on and off for a while, but have always been too nervous. I have autoimmune hepatitis and the combo of steroids/imuran has caused me to gain about 60 lbs in the last 3 years. I am off steroids but will have to continue my other medications for who knows how long and after all efforts on my own, I do not think I can do this without help. Finally after being told by 2 different dr's of mine that it is something I should really consider I went and meet with Dr. Luckey of Scales in Thousand Oaks. He was very nice and I have the first group meeting on Tuesday. I am still very nervous about having surgery and hope that I get insurance coverage (I do have bariatric coverage but I need the pre-service review). I am very glad that there is this board available.