Hello everyone! I have learned so much from this site... I went to the ititial seminar at The Davis Clinic last July. I quickly found out that my insurance (UHC) did not cover VSG. I was disappointed! Since the new year has come, I have been thinking again about the surgery. I happened to look on this site and founf out that UHC is now coovering the VSG....YEA!!!! I called my insurance and they said YES! So, i followed the instructions from my seminar packet and I got a call back this afternoon for my consultation with the surgeon. It will not be until February 11th, that is the soonest... Doen anyone know, once the consulation with the surgeon has been done, how long does it usually take to have Nutrition, Psychological, and Cardiac evaluations? I know all Dr.'s are different, just wanted to get an idea of how long the process was for you! I am excited and nervouse at the same time!:thumbup1:

Margo

Hi Margo and welcome to VST.

For my band surgery, I had the consult, and had my nut, psych and labs done within 7 days. My approval came just a few days later.

With my sleeve revision, I saw the surgeon. He ordered another psych eval (my husband was deployed, and they wanted to make sure I could handle surgery with him gone), and then I had some other extensive blood work done due to an undiagnosed clotting issue. Anyways, I had approval, and surgery within a month or so for my revision.

Welcome Margo! I also had to wait quite a while (5 weeks) before they could get me in for my consultation. The waiting sucked, but was so worth it.

My consultation appointment was on June 24, and I had surgery scheduled for August 4. I had to meet with the nutritionist 2 times individually and then 1 time for a 3 hour class, had labs, an ekg, a barium swallow test, had my psych. eval, and had a sleep study (which I had to repeat a second time...long story). I was self pay, but I think this is about as long as it takes for insurance covered patients as well (not including if they have to do a 3, 6, 9 month diet for approval).

I have United Health Care also. They required 3 nutritionist appointments which had to be spaced one month apart each. That was the longest thing. I had to have one psych eval, a full blood workup plus a full physical. It took 3 months total for everything. Then they sent my case for approval at the beginning of December and I had an approval in 3 days. Mid December I scheduled surgery for Jan. 25th. The only reason why there was that much of a wait between approval and surgery is because my surgeon is actually in Africa right now on a surgical mission trip. Otherwise, I would have probably already been sleeved. Oh well. It is worth the wait!

I'm a self pay- and mine was QUICK!!

Seminar Jan 9th-

doctor consult Jan 12

Surgery Feb. 9th

1 Month- i was sleeved....... and it would have been sooner but he wouldn't do surgery unless I had stopped smoking for a month.

I spent a couple of months on line doing research to find a surgeon that I trusted, then after I contacted his office, I was sleeved within about a month. My insurance does not cover VSG, and I was glad in a way because I did not want to jump through all the hoops that insurance requires. The long wait time would have driven me bananas. And I was physically really getting impaired by all that extra weight. I needed to get it off so I could get on with my life. Am so glad it worked out the way it did.

Thanks for the response and information!

I am getting more and more excited. I do not have a "Primary Care Physician", so I hope I do not have any problems with that.

Margo

Margo, I highly recommend that you get a primary care physician. There are many reasons this makes your life easier and especially after surgery, you may need one for various reasons. Are you having surgery in the US or elsewhere?

Cajun,

I am having surgery in Houston, Texas. I go faithfully for my well-woman visit yearly. However, I have never really needed a PCP. For the occasional major sinus infection, I go to a quick serve doc. I will call my OB/GYN and ask for recommendation for a PCP.

Margo

Where do you live in Louisiana? We live about 20 minutes from the State line, in Beaumont.

Cajun,

I am having surgery in Houston, Texas. I go faithfully for my well-woman visit yearly. However, I have never really needed a PCP. For the occasional major sinus infection, I go to a quick serve doc. I will call my OB/GYN and ask for recommendation for a PCP.

Margo

Where do you live in Louisiana? We live about 20 minutes from the State line, in Beaumont.

I live in "cajun country", southwest Louisiana. GO SAINTS!!!