Hello all.

I finally made the decision and started the process.

2/14/11: Verified with Saint Luke's Center for Surgical Weight Loss that my insurance would cover their program

2/15/11: Attended St. Luke's Seminar

2/23/11: Attended first pre-op Dr. appointment. Sandy explained that I would need a 1) sleep study, 2) appointment with their nutrionist and exercise specialist to begin a three month supervised diet/exercise program, 3) psych eval, 4) letter of medical clearance from my GP, and 5) copies of notes from any doctor I saw in 2009 and 2010 showing my current weight. I would also need to attend at least one support group meeting. My appointments for the psych eval and diet/exercise specialists were set. I briefly met Dr. Price.

2/24/11: I received a call from the St. Luke's Sleep Lab to schedule my sleep study.

2/27/11: Completed sleep study.

2/28/11: Received call from UHC. They explained that my policy does not cover Saint Luke's Center for Surgical Weight Loss . In addition, my policy requires a 6 month medically supervised diet.

You might imagine my reaction to this news. I was devestated and furious at St. Luke's for assuring me that my insurance would cover everything when they clearly had NO IDEA.

2/28/11: Reserved a spot in the upcoming seminar (3/7/11) at the only local program my insurance does cover, The Bariatric Center of Kansas City at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. All I can do now is wait to see what my earlier mistakes will cost me and try to move forward despite them.

Hello all.

I finally made the decision and started the process.

.

.

.

.

2/28/11: Received call from UHC. They explained that my policy does not cover Saint Luke's Center for Surgical Weight Loss . In addition, my policy requires a 6 month medically supervised diet.

You might imagine my reaction to this news. I was devestated and furious at St. Luke's for assuring me that my insurance would cover everything when they clearly had NO IDEA.

2/28/11: Reserved a spot in the upcoming seminar (3/7/11) at the only local program my insurance does cover, The Bariatric Center of Kansas City at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. All I can do now is wait to see what my earlier mistakes will cost me and try to move forward despite them.

You will like the KC Bariatric group... Dr. Hoen and Dr Kowalski both seem really nice and their seminar is really informative. I chose Dr Hoen for 2 reasons 1. he was my friends dr and she really liked him and researched the crap outta him, and 2. he has done more VSG's than his partner...

I too am a UHC patient just starting this process... the 6 month diet thing is Bugging the crap outta me I have documentation for over 5 yrs of my gp telling me to loose weight and that this is how he wants me to do it but since I dont have 6 months in a row of being seen I have to start from scratch.

you should be able to bring your sleep study over from ST Lukes. and since we have the some insurance Im betting you need the same things as well, A dietitian session, a psych eval with THEIR DR, a preop education, and a EDG, Depending on your individual health you might need to see a cardiologist and a pulmonologist...

so after seeing my reg dr I am now 2 months into my "official" 6 month diet... and I ma looking for a way out of it.

Very similar experience for me I saw a surgeon for six months and went to a Psych eval they set up. Only to find out from my insurance later that that psych did not have a doctorate (so I had to do it again). And that the surgeon was not associated with a center of excellence so I had to switch to a new surgeon.

You will like the KC Bariatric group... Dr. Hoen and Dr Kowalski both seem really nice and their seminar is really informative. I chose Dr Hoen for 2 reasons 1. he was my friends dr and she really liked him and researched the crap outta him, and 2. he has done more VSG's than his partner...

I too am a UHC patient just starting this process... the 6 month diet thing is Bugging the crap outta me I have documentation for over 5 yrs of my gp telling me to loose weight and that this is how he wants me to do it but since I dont have 6 months in a row of being seen I have to start from scratch.

you should be able to bring your sleep study over from ST Lukes. and since we have the some insurance Im betting you need the same things as well, A dietitian session, a psych eval with THEIR DR, a preop education, and a EDG, Depending on your individual health you might need to see a cardiologist and a pulmonologist...

so after seeing my reg dr I am now 2 months into my "official" 6 month diet... and I ma looking for a way out of it.

Thank you for the encouragement! I only chose St. Luke's because they are so close to my home and work.

Hoehn may be a much better choice, all things considered. I am glad you said that he has done more sleeves than Kowalski, because I was wondering which surgeon to choose.

Good luck on your diet! From what I have read, there is no way out, so enjoy your "prep" time.

What is EDG, btw?

Very similar experience for me I saw a surgeon for six months and went to a Psych eval they set up. Only to find out from my insurance later that that psych did not have a doctorate (so I had to do it again). And that the surgeon was not associated with a center of excellence so I had to switch to a new surgeon.

That is nuts! I talked to UHC today to find out if my DO can suervise my diet (because my policy specifically states an "MD supervised diet." The DO is fine, but if she gets busy and sends her nurse practitioner in to see me, that won't fly. Who would have thought?

You're so close to being done! I envy you.

I am also using Dr. Hoehn and I have UHC. I just finished my 6 month diet on Feb. 17 and everything has been submitted to UHC so just waiting for them to stop driving me crazy with all this waiting and give me an answer..lol. It will depend on your health but the only thing Dr. Hoehn required me to do was a scope and psych eval. I initially chose Hoehn because UHC didn't cover St. Luke's cause I wanted to use Dr. Price as well just because a friend of mine used him and loved him. Then two months after I had started everything St. Lukes started taking UHC, but I'm glad it worked out the way it did. I've met Dr. Hoehn a couple times already and he is always very attentive and most importantly non judgemental. I was frustrated at first when I found out about the 6 month diet, but now I'm glad I had to do it cause it gave me a chance to talk to a lot more people and do a lot more research. Hope it all works out for you and don't worry the 6 months goes by in no time!

Us KC ppl should get together and talk! compare notes shoot just be nice to have a local support system we can talk to if we wanted.

What do you think interested?

The crap we go though...GRRR

I'm really happy that there are so many active KC users here. We should definately stick together and compare notes.

Us KC ppl should get together and talk! compare notes shoot just be nice to have a local support system we can talk to if we wanted.

What do you think interested?

I'm game! Would be nice to meet others in the area that understand what you're going through. Well I say all this in hopes that my insurance decides to ever approve me!

Hey, I am also near KC- but I am using Dr. Malley and Dr. Fuehring at New Hope Bariatrics- well they do the sleeve at Menorah Hospital- the process has been very easy- and because I am going thru them I didn't need as much of the studies and all that- I did a psych eval and a nutritionist and thats it. They turned it all in to insurance yesterday to approve - hopefully! Waiting.... I agree- I think we should somehow get together - it would be nice to have local support

Hello, There is a vast of information on this forum.I am loving to the forum.

Us KC ppl should get together and talk! compare notes shoot just be nice to have a local support system we can talk to if we wanted.

What do you think interested?

I am defintely interested in a KC support group. I had to self pay for my surgery and went to Mexico so it would be wonderful to have some people locally for support.

I am defintely interested in a KC support group. I had to self pay for my surgery and went to Mexico so it would be wonderful to have some people locally for support.

I'm definitely interested as I will be having surgery out of state.

What part of the city are you guys? I'm southern KC, actually live 30 min south of Overland Park.

I bet we might get a local library to let us use one of their rooms. Just a thought.

If you have to go monthly for 6 months, go every 25 days and you can shave a month off of your weighting time!

You will like the KC Bariatric group... Dr. Hoen and Dr Kowalski both seem really nice and their seminar is really informative. I chose Dr Hoen for 2 reasons 1. he was my friends dr and she really liked him and researched the crap outta him, and 2. he has done more VSG's than his partner...

I too am a UHC patient just starting this process... the 6 month diet thing is Bugging the crap outta me I have documentation for over 5 yrs of my gp telling me to loose weight and that this is how he wants me to do it but since I dont have 6 months in a row of being seen I have to start from scratch.

you should be able to bring your sleep study over from ST Lukes. and since we have the some insurance Im betting you need the same things as well, A dietitian session, a psych eval with THEIR DR, a preop education, and a EDG, Depending on your individual health you might need to see a cardiologist and a pulmonologist...

so after seeing my reg dr I am now 2 months into my "official" 6 month diet... and I ma looking for a way out of it.

Hello all! I am also in KC. Will be having my surgery at KU Med this summer.