Hey fellow MA bandsters,

SherryW and I are interested in starting a thread for all our MA bandsters so we can get to know our neighbors! We hope you join in!

I'll start.....

My name is Chris, I am 32, have been overweight since I was 5 years old, although I am at an all-time high right now. My band date is October 2nd, and I cannot wait!! I am single and dating, I work in insurance, and I have a great and supportive family & group of friends - including SherryW and her DH. lol. Oh yeah, my mother is also getting banded, and she is having surgery one week before me.

I'd love to meet my other MA bandsters and hear about your progress!

Chris

I am going to a dr in Norwood and have not had the band yet so i am not sure about the first fill. sorry.

Kim:

I don't go to Lahey, but the rules are probably the same everywhere. We were told to eat light on the day of a fill. Then after the fill just liquids first 24 hours, then mushies for 24 hours after that, then solids after that.

Good luck.

Sue

You got it. I go to Lahey and that is the drill so far as I know :thumbup: who are you seeing? Pam is great, love her:wub: Good luck

You got it. I go to Lahey and that is the drill so far as I know :thumbup: who are you seeing? Pam is great, love her:wub: Good luck

Cheri52:

I go to the Glasgows in Norwood. They're great over there.

Keep up the good work.

Sue

Hi again....well, 2nd fill on June 4th (1cc added; now a total of 5 cc in a 12cc VG Inamed band) does not seem to be 'working'...I'm reading lots of threads and trying to figure out how to do my part so that this band can do it's part...somewhat frustrated and, interestingly, anxiety increasing. So...wondering what your experience has been? Words of wisdom?

Thanks! Stay Cool Everybody! :thumbup:

Hi Liz,

Kim from Lahey how are you. I have my first fill tomorrow and tried to call my ins., the weight loss clinic, and the billing office to see how the fills are covered. I am hoping as a pre-op apt. but no one seemed to know the answer??? I ended up getting in a fight with the billing dept because the guy I was talking to after giving me the run around decided to throw the fact that I opted to get the procedure and should have know what it might entail financially and I got realllllly Mad!!!! All I could picture was a tall skinny many giving me crap about trying to be a healthier person. Anyway, if you or anyone else knows the answer please let me know.

By chance will you be attending..."I can eat that? tonight?"

If so I will see you there.

Thanks KIM :behindsofa:

Edited June 10, 200818 yr by Rugrat682

You got it. I go to Lahey and that is the drill so far as I know :behindsofa: who are you seeing? Pam is great, love her:wub: Good luck

Hi - I am seeing Corrine but I have seen Pam as well. They are both great! Good Luck and thanks for the info.

KIM

Reminder - "I can eat that?" tonight at 6:30 Lahey 6 Central

Hi Liz,

Kim from Lahey how are you. I have my first fill tomorrow and tried to call my ins., the weight loss clinic, and the billing office to see how the fills are covered. I am hoping as a pre-op apt. but no one seemed to know the answer??? I ended up getting in a fight with the billing dept because the guy I was talking to after giving me the run around decided to throw the fact that I opted to get the procedure and should have know what it might entail financially and I got realllllly Mad!!!! All I could picture was a tall skinny many giving me crap about trying to be a healthier person. Anyway, if you or anyone else knows the answer please let me know.

By chance will you be attending..."I can eat that? tonight?"

If so I will see you there.

Thanks KIM :grouphug:

Hi Kim!

I don't know the answer to the insurance coverage on fills. We have network blue and they cover the follow up appts for both dietician and NP's (which include fills), minus our co-pay.

Yes, I'm planning to attend tonight! So...see you there! :behindsofa:

Liz

Hi Liz! Thanks for getting back to me. I am sure I am fine. I just got all heated.

I am glad you will be there. See you tonight.

KIM

Insurance! now there is a touchy subject for me:cursing: I went in expecting it to be covered as an office apt. as they only requested a reg. copay. On the first billing they prorated it to a larger copay of $ 48. as an adjustment because the correct co was larger than the cost of the procedure! They claimed they were giving me a break. Later billings they tried to get $ 150 out of me which is my copay for out pt. surgery! They claim it is the same as an emergency rm. visit/out pt. surgery:angry: $150 is my copay for the whole surgery, who would have guessed. there was another thread started addressing this issue, but nothing lately. so far as I'm aware, we were all having this problem. I finally gave in and paid the damm bill. When they did the fill on the same day as blood work those were the times I got the higher copay. if no blood work, then the $48. one! Yet, blood work is fully covered. never did get a good answer about that one. I've been back and forth about it with little success to both the isn. com and Lahey. Both try to pass the buck and blame the other for the way it is set up. Oh, and they still charged for the regular office call too.I got tired of the fight. If any of you do manage to get this resolved I'd love to know how. I have BCBS Blue, hmo. GOOD LUCK!

So Kim, who is your insurance? it's very sneeky the way they do it. yes you are covered, but probably not as you expect. and you'll get a different answer from everyone you talk to. I had mine go to review several times, with no results. grrrrrrrr:mad:

Edited June 11, 200818 yr by cheri52

Insurance! now there is a touchy subject for me:cursing: I went in expecting it to be covered as an office apt. as they only requested a reg. copay. On the first billing they prorated it to a larger copay of $ 48. as an adjustment because the correct co was larger than the cost of the procedure! They claimed they were giving me a break. Later billings they tried to get $ 150 out of me which is my copay for out pt. surgery! They claim it is the same as an emergency rm. visit/out pt. surgery:angry: $150 is my copay for the whole surgery, who would have guessed. there was another thread started addressing this issue, but nothing lately. so far as I'm aware, we were all having this problem. I finally gave in and paid the damm bill. When they did the fill on the same day as blood work those were the times I got the higher copay. if no blood work, then the $48. one! Yet, blood work is fully covered. never did get a good answer about that one. I've been back and forth about it with little success to both the isn. com and Lahey. Both try to pass the buck and blame the other for the way it is set up. Oh, and they still charged for the regular office call too.I got tired of the fight. If any of you do manage to get this resolved I'd love to know how. I have BCBS Blue, hmo. GOOD LUCK!

Hi Cheri-

I have BCBS Blue New England HMO and I only have to pay my co-pay for a fill. Just thought I would chime in on my coverage. I hope that you get some straight answers; that is very frustrating I am sure.

Cindy

Hello All, I also have Blue Cross HMO of MA. When I originally called they told me I would have a $500 co-pay for the surgery. However, my employer changed the policy between my call and surgery and I am now paying $1000. So this is why I am trying to keep the other bills down if possible. I was told today that within the 90 days after surgery I will not be billed anything but will after the 90 days. So I will be happy if I am at a good point fill wise in this time. I have my second fill in 4 weeks which is within this time. Thanks for the info everyone.

So my first fill was not as bad as I thought! :tongue2:

Liz, good to see you last night. I ran the ladies room after the class and you were gone. I was hoping to chat. I am sure I will see you again at the next one. Hope all is well.

KIM

Hi Cheri-

I have BCBS Blue New England HMO and I only have to pay my co-pay for a fill. Just thought I would chime in on my coverage. I hope that you get some straight answers; that is very frustrating I am sure.

Cindy

Mine is only a copay too, the question is "which one and how much?" MY co-pay seemed to change with the wind direction!

Mine is only a copay too, the question is "which one and how much?" MY co-pay seemed to change with the wind direction!

My copay is $20.00. It sounds like you are being charged the deductible. Do you have a deductible on your insurance? I know with my surgery I had a $500.00 surgical deductible but everything else was covered. My first few fills were covered because they were billed as surgical follow up. Now, I have to pay just the copay of $20.00 when I go to a fill appt. I would call BC/BS and asked that everything be clarified. They might be able to send you something that will explain your responsibility. BC/BS is great to work with so just hang in there.

Cindy

My copay is $20.00. It sounds like you are being charged the deductible. Do you have a deductible on your insurance? I know with my surgery I had a $500.00 surgical deductible but everything else was covered. My first few fills were covered because they were billed as surgical follow up. Now, I have to pay just the copay of $20.00 when I go to a fill appt. I would call BC/BS and asked that everything be clarified. They might be able to send you something that will explain your responsibility. BC/BS is great to work with so just hang in there.

Cindy

Cindy, I think I was wrong on the surgery copay, I believe mine was $500 too. It goes back too far in the check book to find it at the moment. I don't remember the deductible either, I just know they charged the $150 as outpt. surgery for the fill on some occasions and $48. in addition to the visit copay on others. I am wondering if it is how the hosp/clinic codes it. Where did you go?