CSinTX

I did not have any trouble with Cigna. I just barely qualified with BMI over 40 and have no co-morbidities. I did what they asked (6 month diet) and provided as much as possible over a 5 year history. Was approved within 3 days. Good luck.

To me this has been FOREVER. Decided to do this first week of January, did some research about insurance requirements and attended the seminar Feb 3. Approved with insurance company Aug 2 and still waiting for surgery date.

Hi Zippy74 - Congratulations and welcome to our world. Cathy

Wow, still not able to contact them by phone. Are you a long ways from them? Can you just jump in your car and drive over? Have you tried calling your insurance company to see if they have received any paperwork? I was told that my paperwork would be submitted on Friday (by the manager), he then called me on my cell phone at 6 pm to say that there was an image that was scanned incorrectly. He would have it fixed and assured me that paperwork would be submitted Monday. I called my insurance company on Tuesday and they had no record of receiving my request for the LAP-BAND, so I called the doctors office. Left 2 messages, none returned so I emailed my patient advocate and her manager (the one that called me the previous Friday on my cell). Needless to say, I was guaranteed (again) by the manager that it would be sent out the next business day. I called the insurance company on Wednesday, nothing showing but Thursday Cigna said they received it on Wednesday. So it took my insurance company 24 hours for it to show up in their system. Call your insurance company. I'm giving my dr's office till Tuesday for the scheduler to call me, then I'll be emailing the manager again. Once I was approved, he told me that it could take 1 day to 1 week for the scheduler to call me, so thats all the time she gets before I call again. You would think the doctors would be wanting that insurance money and would be right on the ball to get another surgery scheduled. I felt SO sure that we would hear something yesterday but guess it was just hunger pains instead. Have a good weekend. Cathy

That is so funny. I'll be sure to stay away from Carnation Instant Breakfast. My daughter told me to get muscle milk but at $2 each I opted for EAS Advant Edge Carb Control, they where only $1 each at walmart. It has 17gms of protein, only 110 calories, 3gms of Fat and Total carbs is 4gms. I think that is pretty good. My dietitian save me a list of what the dr's pre-op diet would probably be but I have ranges for protein, fats, total carbs and calories. Out of Proteins, fats, carbs and calories: What is most important in watching the numbers and which is least important? Cathy

What a week. I end my first week of eternity. I thought waiting for insurance approval was bad but waiting for the scheduler to call with a surgery date is just as bad. It's kinda like when I was in high school waiting for a boy to call. That call that just did not come. I was a pain to the patient advocate in emailing her questions but darn she never would answer, so I went to her manager. I made the comment that it had been several days (which it was) without a word, so I was assuming that she was on vacation. He replied and said I should hear from the scheduler in 1 to 5 days. I started buying liquids this week to start my pre-op diet. I plan on gradually going into this maybe starting with a couple of liquid only days this next week. Anyone else buying liquids yet? Hope everyone had a great week. Cathy

My Goal: is to lose 100 lbs. My Reason: I want to be able to put on a pair of tennis shoes, you know those ones with laces without cutting my gut in half. I want to feel sexy again and wear one of those nighties from my early years.

Hi sourmissg - Did you have any luck today getting in touch with anyone at your doctors office? I would be camping out if I had gone from July 20 to now with no word from them. Cathy

Hi sourmissg - Good luck on your approval. Let us know when you submit your paperwork. Hi crecia1975 - Thank you. I have found Cigna to be great to work with. I hope you have a very quick approval. Thank you guys for congratulating me. I feel like this huge weight has been lifted just knowing that its now all in my ball park and not the insurance company. We are so close to beginning our new journey. It will be great.

Here is a list of what we sent to Cigna. 1. Dietitian notes from visits for Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June & July. 2. I complied a comprehensive but easy to read 2 column list of the diets that I have tried (for my entire life but did not list results), a list of diet books that I had purchased, a list of memberships to gyms, curves, etc (with copies of receipts), a list of equipment that I have purchased (with receipts) and a list of diagnoses from the doctor notes that I provided them. 3. I provided 5 years worth of doctor notes but I don't know what was actually submitted to Cigna. 4. I wrote a one page letter telling Cigna about my family history, the reason why I want this and quoted facts - especially from the Cigna website. Hope this helps others get approved on the first submit. Cathy

I'm approved. After much worrying about what Cigna might come back with, I was thrilled to find out that after only 3 days, I was approved. Now waiting for the doctors office to call to set my surgery date. :thumbup: :thumbup:

Thanks to everyone who responded. Glad to hear that I'm not being unrealistic in expecting a surgery date within a week after approval. My "patient advocate" must not like her job very well. She gives poor service; won't answer her phone and usually returns emails in a day or two. I had scheduled an appointment to see her last Friday and the night before at 5:30 she calls and cancels. "A family emergency". I am so excited to get the next step rolling and yet I feel that if I bitch too much, the service will even get worse. Stuck between a rock and a hard spot.

Hello, I have been told that once I get approved it will take about 3 weeks for me to get into the doctors office just to get a surgery date. Maybe I am being totally inpatient and unreasonable but I think that is silly. Did you have to go into the doctors office to get your surgery date? If so, how many days did you have to wait before you were able to see your surgeon? Cathy :thumbup: :smile2:

Jess55, Sorry to hear about your crushing blow. That would certainly take the wind out of my sails. I have seen several people mention that their insurance did accept Weight Watchers, have you called your insurance company and asked them? Hi Crecia1975, Boy I agree with you on the longest 6 months of your life. You see so many others post how quickly the 6 months went by for them but not here.

Hi Lillyegg, You are soooo lucky that you don't have to jump through a thousand hoops. Congratulations on your date and keep us informed on your approval. Good luck. Cathy

Hi Leeblewb, Mine package was just submitted this week to Cigna. Post your updates about Cigna's responses and I'll do the same. Good luck. Cathy

I'm so mad with my doctor. Yesterday I was told that once I get approved, the doctor will review my file and then will sign off on it, he will then give it to the "surgery scheduler" to call me to come in and set a surgery date. She said this process takes 3 weeks. 3 weeks----what a joke, just to get a date. Once I get my appointment to come in and visit with the surgeon, I'm looking at another 4 weeks before surgery. So at the earliest, I am the end of September. I'm just so jealous of you guys that already have surgery dates. Maybe I am expecting too much from them. Did anyone else have to wait several weeks after they got approved before the doctor set your surgery date? Cathy

Hi KAS1971, Congratulations on your date. I hope to be able to announce a date soon. It' seems that I hit a couple of speed bumps along the way but I guess I am just anxious. Paperwork was suppose to be submitted last Friday (but there was an office mishap) then was told they would submit first thing Monday morning and today I find out that it still was not submitted. Seems that only 1 person in the office does that job and she was off Monday and Tuesday. So hopefully will have something positive to report in a couple of weeks. How long after you got your approval did you wait for a date? When did you start this process? I started in February. Nice to meet you and hopefully we will have a lot to talk about in the near future. Cathy . .

I don't have a date yet but paperwork was submitted this week for approval. I am hoping things go well and I'll be banded in September. Looking for others who will be banded in September 2010. Please chime in. . .

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has submitted for approval with Cigna lately. If you were approved: What did you have too submit for approval (How many appointments and with who) and when did you start the entire process? If you were denied: What reason did they give you (if you don't mind telling us). Thanks for your time and looking forward to hearing from other Cigna folks. Cathy

I schedule my appointments at 3 in the afternoon and leave work at noon. Because I "consider" noon to 1 as my lunch hour, I'm really only taking off 4 hours. Most employers will allow you to make up a few hours over the remaining 4 days of the week. In my case, my employer gives us so many sick hours per year and sick hours can be used for doctors appointments, so I use those instead of vacation days. I still have all my vacation days to use for my personal use which will hopefully be used for recovery from the procedure. Cathy

Hello TMoore, I drive almost 100 miles each way for my monthly visits. You have to ask the question, Are you worth it? I am, so I do. Cathy

Hi CJett - Was there anything difficult when it came to dealing with Cigna? I started this process in February and should be able to submit my paperwork in August. I too am with Cigna (open access). What months did you do the diet thing? Cathy

Hi Shanese01, Your policy with CIGNA sounds a lot like mine. My CIGNA covers 90% but I have an out-of-pocket max of $1000. So no matter what the hospital comes in at my max out of pocket for the entire year is only $1000. May want to check your insurance policy and see what your max is. Just a thought. Cathy

Hi Everyone, I was just wondering if anyone else was thinking about what kind of changes we might see in 2010 to the requirements for surgery. Higher BMI numbers, longer/shorter diet requirement, longer period for proof of obesity, etc. With all the talk on tv about health coverage, does anyone think that independent insurance companies will make their requirements harder so fewer people qualify just so they don't have to cover as many people. Any thoughts from anyone? Cathy