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Easy Insurance Experience?



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My doctors have not seemed concerned about insurance approval. I've completed all my tests and I'm set for surgery a month from tomorrow. I'm confused though because I see on here that a lot of people have to prepare packets and they have to wait for insurance approval. I didn't have to go through all that. It seems like the doctor has taken care of it all. I just hope I don't get everything done that the insurance requires, only to find out I'm rejected. However, again, they don't seem concerned about it at all and are acting like it's already been aproved and taken care of. Maybe this just depends on the insurance carrier. I use Highmark Blue Shield. I'm just curious if there is anyone else who had a painless insurance experience. I want to make sure that my experience is not completely abnormal. I wonder if this is something I should be worrying about? I have my last appointment before surgery on November 3rd so I will ask then, but figured I'd ask your input first. Thanks!

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Mine seems to be going well too. I had my consultation on the 6th i went to the seminar on the 13th ( i know i did that backwards!) I had my psyc eval done on the 20th and the request was submitted to the insurance on the 21st. I called the financial adviser today at my surgeons office and she said it usually take less than a week. all they requested from them was my bmi height and weight. they set my surgery date for nov 16th. hopefully ill know by Friday if its approved or not or if they need more info. I have united heath care choice plus. Maybe we're just lucky or have drs that take care of everything. either way i think were a minority. i have read a lot of problems with insurance on here. but like your dr, mine doesn't seem to be concerned with me getting approved. best wishes! hope it continues to go smooth!

My doctors have not seemed concerned about insurance approval. I've completed all my tests and I'm set for surgery a month from tomorrow. I'm confused though because I see on here that a lot of people have to prepare packets and they have to wait for insurance approval. I didn't have to go through all that. It seems like the doctor has taken care of it all. I just hope I don't get everything done that the insurance requires, only to find out I'm rejected. However, again, they don't seem concerned about it at all and are acting like it's already been aproved and taken care of. Maybe this just depends on the insurance carrier. I use Highmark Blue Shield. I'm just curious if there is anyone else who had a painless insurance experience. I want to make sure that my experience is not completely abnormal. I wonder if this is something I should be worrying about? I have my last appointment before surgery on November 3rd so I will ask then, but figured I'd ask your input first. Thanks!

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My doctors have not seemed concerned about insurance approval. I've completed all my tests and I'm set for surgery a month from tomorrow. I'm confused though because I see on here that a lot of people have to prepare packets and they have to wait for insurance approval. I didn't have to go through all that. It seems like the doctor has taken care of it all. I just hope I don't get everything done that the insurance requires, only to find out I'm rejected. However, again, they don't seem concerned about it at all and are acting like it's already been aproved and taken care of. Maybe this just depends on the insurance carrier. I use Highmark Blue Shield. I'm just curious if there is anyone else who had a painless insurance experience. I want to make sure that my experience is not completely abnormal. I wonder if this is something I should be worrying about? I have my last appointment before surgery on November 3rd so I will ask then, but figured I'd ask your input first. Thanks!

The insurance coordinator at my surgeons office took care of everything as well. My experience was painless. However I did call my insurance and asked about their coverage and requirements even before I picked a surgeon. My bariatric office then verified everything.

As far as I know, insurances won't approve until they have received all the paperwork they require. That is probably the "packet" you are referring to. I didn't send it though, my insurance coordinator did. I got approved less than 3 days later. We all run the risk of completing everything and then being denied.

The only difference seems to be, that my bariatric office does not schedule surgeries until after insurance approval and yours does. Also, I am not as patient and "hands off" as you. :P I emailed my insurance coordinator every once in a while to find out where I was in the process.

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I had a super easy experience. I had my consult one month and had to go back for two more months for my 3 month supervised weight loss. After the first visit I completed all my requirements within a couple of weeks.

Then I just waited for the remaining 2 months to arrive. The 3rd visit I was notified my surgeon was closing up his practice and switching all patients to another surgeon. I did not have any desire to go to this particular

surgeon so I searched another one and made an appointment. I then went to his information session which he requires. Two days later had my appointment and was scheduled that day for surgeon. The next day my

paperwork was submitted and within 24 hours I was approved. To me it was super easy and I am so happy that other surgeon closed practice because I wouldn't have found my new fantastic surgeon. He even uses a

smaller bougie so that excites me. I can't wait until Dec 7th...42 more days. Good luck to you!!

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I had a very easy insurance experience. All I did was call my insurance company to find out what my coverage was and any requirements. My surgeon's office confirmed everything.

For me, bariatric surgery was covered as any normal surgery and did NOT require preapproval as long as I met the BMI requirements and had both a NUT and psych eval before hand. I didn't have to submit anything to the insurance company to get approval before hand.

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My insurance experience was great. They required 3 consecutive visits and 5 yrs documented weight history. Insurance was submitted on Monday and I called on wednesday and was already approved! my surg date is Dec 5. Good Luck!

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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.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • 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
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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      1. This update has no replies.
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