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Hi all! I am new to this forum so bear with me. I am still on the fence about doing the surgery. But I'm almost all the way over. Now I am just concerned about financing it. I have contacted my insurance company, Humana, and have found that the approval seems fairly simple. But the benefits are different than my regular benefits. They pay 50% of the surgery and only pay $5000 lifetime max for anything obesity related. Which is fine by me. I can pay for my own fills afterwards. My question is, has everyone had to pay upfront or has anyone been billed after the surgery? The hospital I am going through is Baylor System. My regular doctor is within the system and I've had imaging done through the system. they have always billed me later. If it's billed later, I can always make payments on it. But if not, I may have to save up some more money and do this next year.

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I have BCBS and I had to pay the hospital my deductible upfront. In fact, they charged me too much and I got a refund about 4 weeks later.

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I went through a lap-band surgical center. I was out of network but they processed my claims as if I were in network and I had to pay my out of pocket expenses the day of surgery.

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My insurance didnt cover it, I went thru True Results and they financed me right there.

Good luck

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I had to pay my surgeon fees up front (approx. $1000.) I have not received the hospital bills yet....I also paid many co-pays ($70 each) last fall for required procedures and about $500 for an upper & Chest x-ray that was required. My insurance covers 20% after my deductible (which is fairly high though I can't remember the amount..)

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I am a little upset that our benefits change because it's WLS. My regular benefits are AWESOME. I have a $1200 deductible and then after that I pay 10% of the contracted rate. UNTIL I hit $2000. After that, everything is covered at 100%. I've never heard of True Results. I will look that up.

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Wow there is a true results down the road from me. I may look into it. I noticed that they have different financing options for people with insurance. And although my insurance doesn't pay much, I want them to pay as much as possible. It doesn't say if it is a Center of Excellence. They talk about all of their awards they have received, but the website doesn't say if it is a center of excellence. I already have to fire my current surgeon because the practice in Arlington isn't a COE, that's why I was going to go to Baylor. I know they are. I will probably call True Results tomorrow. Thanks!

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I am not sure what is going to happen. I went through True Results with approval from my BCBS Fed insurance. So far all I have paid is $25 co-pay for my four consultations at True Results & a $100 co-pay when I checked into the hospital. True Results had said I should be prepared to pay $1000 at check-in.

There is a curios statement in my insurance approval letter - "Preferred provides have an agreement with us to accept our paid allowance as payment in full".

I will update you with an follow up billing, which I am expecting... althought that would be great if I didn't.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
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    • Doughgurl

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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