I am pre-op, just wondering if anyone is from the Charlotte or surrounding area.

My surgeon is Dr. Bauman at Carolina Weight Loss Surgery here in Concord. I'll be having my surgery at Carolinas Medical Center Northeast.

We have the same doc!

I got my approval today! YIPEE ~ so happy! Looks like surgery the first of the year for me. Now the task of figuring out where the $4000 up front out of pocket's going to come from. Might just have to wait till tax time. :-( But, at least I know I'm approved and almost there!

Got my date! 1/10/2013. WOOHOOO!

Hi, I am from the Charlotte area. I am over half way through my 6 month physician supervised diet program through Carolina's Weight Management. Nervous about the approval process for the sleeve through Cigna. My surgeon will be Dr. Gersin. Anyone else gone through CWM? What was your experience like?

Hi' date=' I am from the Charlotte area. I am over half way through my 6 month physician supervised diet program through Carolina's Weight Management. Nervous about the approval process for the sleeve through Cigna. My surgeon will be Dr. Gersin. Anyone else gone through CWM? What was your experience like?[/quote']

Dr. Gersin will be doing my surgery on March 25th. So far I can tell he is a really serious person, not a great sense of humor, but seems to be a good doctor, I have heard good things about him though...

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Hi' date=' I am from the Charlotte area. I am over half way through my 6 month physician supervised diet program through Carolina's Weight Management. Nervous about the approval process for the sleeve through Cigna. My surgeon will be Dr. Gersin. Anyone else gone through CWM? What was your experience like?[/quote']

I am but I'm seeing Dr. Villanueva

Dr. Gersin will be doing my surgery on March 25th. So far I can tell he is a really serious person' date=' not a great sense of humor, but seems to be a good doctor, I have heard good things about him though...

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I'm with CWM...but not really having good success with getting them to submit the proper docs for insurance approval. I was so excited when they submitted my info over a month ago. Now it seems as though the wind has been knocked out of my sails!! I've called them numerous times and they keep telling me not to worry and that I don't need to do anything additional....but then I get a call from my insurance company advising me that they are not receiving requested info from them. Just getting so discouraged. Could someone share their experience?

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I'm with CWM...but not really having good success with getting them to submit the proper docs for insurance approval. I was so excited when they submitted my info over a month ago. Now it seems as though the wind has been knocked out of my sails!! I've called them numerous times and they keep telling me not to worry and that I don't need to do anything additional....but then I get a call from my insurance company advising me that they are not receiving requested info from them. Just getting so discouraged. Could someone share their experience?

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I didnt have any trouble with the approval, it went right through the first time, call back and ask for the insurance coordinator, i cant remember her name, i have bcbs nc and i gave it one week and called them and my insurance company then them again until i got an answer.....

I'm with CWM...but not really having good success with getting them to submit the proper docs for insurance approval. I was so excited when they submitted my info over a month ago. Now it seems as though the wind has been knocked out of my sails!! I've called them numerous times and they keep telling me not to worry and that I don't need to do anything additional....but then I get a call from my insurance company advising me that they are not receiving requested info from them. Just getting so discouraged. Could someone share their experience?

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I also had the same type of experience with CWM. My insurance company denied me twice. The informed me that the first time my paperwork was submitted she only sent 4 pages leaving out the psych evail., nutrition, and my endoscopy results that stated my esophagus was inflammed caused by the GERD and I was put on medication. The second time the insurance company told me that she sent the same 4 pages as before and then two days later sent the results form all the specialist and the info that my family dr. had changed my blood-pressure meds to something stronger(not the notes from my primary, just the fact that it had been done); I was denied again. When talking to my insurance company they said that everything should have been sent at one time and that they can see where it says that I am on blood-pressure medication but they need to see proof from the DRs. notes also its needs to be sent at one time. And now because I have already had paperwork sent in twice I have to appeal on my own or give CWM authorization to do it on my behalf; and I don't know if I should just do it myself to insure that everything gets sent in all at once or should I let them do i for me and just oversee the as much as possible to make sure everything is being sent together and that everything that is needed is being sent. What should I do?????? Any suggestions????

I didnt have any trouble with the approval' date=' it went right through the first time, call back and ask for the insurance coordinator, i cant remember her name, i have bcbs nc and i gave it one week and called them and my insurance company then them again until i got an answer.....[/quote']

Maybe I just need to be patient and wait it out a bit more. It is so very frustrating though.

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Dr. Gersin will be doing my surgery on March 25th. So far I can tell he is a really serious person, not a great sense of humor, but seems to be a good doctor, I have heard good things about him though...

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Yes, he does appear to be very serious. He seems to be very competent, though. How long after the approval process did it take for you to get a surgery date?

I'm with CWM...but not really having good success with getting them to submit the proper docs for insurance approval. I was so excited when they submitted my info over a month ago. Now it seems as though the wind has been knocked out of my sails!! I've called them numerous times and they keep telling me not to worry and that I don't need to do anything additional....but then I get a call from my insurance company advising me that they are not receiving requested info from them. Just getting so discouraged. Could someone share their experience?

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Really? This is the kind of thing that worries me. They should know what they are doing and submit the proper documents the first time. I have an appt. today and have asked to speak to the insurance coordinator. I want to make sure everyone has their ducks in a row. I was also told that I had to do a 6 month physician monitored weight loss program for Cigna to approve the surgery, but 4 months in, after some research and calling Cigna to confirm, they apparently only require a 3 month program as of May 2012. I plan to speak with them about this as well today.

Yes, he does appear to be very serious. He seems to be very competent, though. How long after the approval process did it take for you to get a surgery date?

about a week...

Really? This is the kind of thing that worries me. They should know what they are doing and submit the proper documents the first time. I have an appt. today and have asked to speak to the insurance coordinator. I want to make sure everyone has their ducks in a row. I was also told that I had to do a 6 month physician monitored weight loss program for Cigna to approve the surgery' date=' but 4 months in, after some research and calling Cigna to confirm, they apparently only require a 3 month program as of May 2012. I plan to speak with them about this as well today.[/quote']

And I don't know that It's so much the insurance coordinator as it is the doctor just not having his documents prepared. Whatever the case may be its frustrating. I think the most important thing though is to make sure you stay on top of things. Since I wrote the first post I've already talked to cwm and BCBS several times. Before I was just kind of leaving things in their hands and letting the chips fall. It sounds like you are already on top of things so you will be fine. Everyone that I've come in contact with at the office is super nice and supportive. Good luck with everything.

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Ok.. finally got notice that I was approved today!! Omg so excited!!

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