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My Insurance Story - Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Illinois



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Hey was just wondering how you were doing with your 6 months if you finished with it yet or not. I know I was worried to while I was doing my 6 months that I would go throught it all and they would still deny me but as long as you show a weight loss when u go in u will be fine. <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

I am about 1 month out from being submitted to insurance. I have my psych Eval on Tuesday and am supposed to have the nutrition class also if my work schedule will allow. I am struggling with the weightloss. I have worked my fanny off working out and counting calories and have nothing to show for it on the scales. I feel it in my clothes though. The dietician says as long as I don't gain weight I will be fine. I just don't know. Worrying about this has caused me so much stress. If this does not work out, I don'y know what I will do. Someone told me to do Atkins for 2 weeks to lose the 15 lbs I have been asked to lose.

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I am about 1 month out from being submitted to insurance. I have my psych Eval on Tuesday and am supposed to have the nutrition class also if my work schedule will allow. I am struggling with the weightloss. I have worked my fanny off working out and counting calories and have nothing to show for it on the scales. I feel it in my clothes though. The dietician says as long as I don't gain weight I will be fine. I just don't know. Worrying about this has caused me so much stress. If this does not work out' date=' I don'y know what I will do. Someone told me to do Atkins for 2 weeks to lose the 15 lbs I have been asked to lose.

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Keep doing what your doing even if u lose a lb amonth at your check ins and it shows on your charts you will be fine and as along and you arent gaining you will be fine too, keep try of your food logs, i switched over to turkey in stead of red meat, all wheat whole grain breads there is one thats 35 cal a slice really yummy, I also swiched over to wholewheat whole grain pastas, whole wheat pancake mix if i want them pretty good too. Lots of Water, no pop or surgery drinks, diet or zero calorie if possible. Salads, and veggies portion size is key too! Hope this helps I was able to lose about 30 since I started my 6month med. Supervized diet. That ended in Aug. Surgery is Nov 14th. Started at 306lbs heaviest was 309 gained 3 lbs my in march check up but lost every other check up after that until Aug when everything was submitted to insurance. Im at 280 right now.

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I too am appealing BCBS of Ca decision of not medically necessary. My BMI is 38.1, with and RMR of -53. The co morbitities I have are moderate hiatal hernia that causes severe reflux, arthritis in my hips, and chronic low back pain. My maternal family history is full of Diabetes. My mother, grandmother and grandfather all had insulin dependent diabetes. I am headed right down that road. I can fix all the lifestyle things but I cannot change my genetics. I just cannot understand the insurance company's rational. The funny part is that the letter says that it can be approved at a BMI of 40. I am so dang close to that that part of me says, "ok, I can gain that much weight without trying, I just have to look at food!" but that really seems irresponsible to me. Has anyone had a similar experience?

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Well, I finished my carewise program today. I could hear something as early as next week.

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Apparently, our employers set conditions for the insurers.

THIS. I always tell people not be upset or angry with the insurance company due to benefit level denials because everything lies with your employer and what they agree to during contract negations. I will say this, before you go the self-pay route, please perform or have your surgeon's office perform at least one appeal to BCBS. Sometimes another set of eyes reviewing a file will provide a totally different outcome.

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THIS. I always tell people not be upset or angry with the insurance company due to benefit level denials because everything lies with your employer and what they agree to during contract negations. I will say this, before you go the self-pay route, please perform or have your surgeon's office perform at least one appeal to BCBS. Sometimes another set of eyes reviewing a file will provide a totally different outcome.

Thanks so much for the advice. I am trying an appeal.

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Self pay isn't an option for me. I am praying that they will approve me. My dietician says that there are not red flags and she sees no reason for me not to be approved. I have seen other be approved with a smaller BMI and no other issues be approved.

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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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