Well...I got a call from Lap Band Solutions yesterday afternoon, they are faxing over the information to my insurance company (United Health Care) for approval. She said it can take anywhere from 2 to 45 days to get a response or see if they need any additional information, etc.

Anyone recently have their information submitted to UHC? How long did it typically take? I'm sitting at the edge of my seat but yet trying to be so patient!

My husband said he already has a room reserved for me at the neurological hospital ...just in case I don't get approved. :heh:

From personal experience Lap Band Solutions sucks. They NEVER did submit my info and my surgeon ended up going with someone else because they were so bad. When my paperwork got submitted to my insurance I got approval the same day, LBS sat on my paperwork from April until the end of September w/o doing a darn thing!!

Stay on top of them.

I think it took about 3 weeks. UHC has been pretty good. The only thing thats made me a bit nervous since I have been approved was a letter I got a copy of that they sent to the surgeron. Talked with the Dr.'s office and they said not to worry.... It said something about more info per my visit to the Dr. I was freaked because I thought I was approved. Dr.'s office said not to worry, its just an ins co being a ins co.! :omg:

Once UHC receives the info it can take up to a week for it to get put into their "system". So I would wait a week and then start calling to make sure they have it. I called at least every other day. My original packet never made it to them. It would have taken months for me to find out if I hadn't been calling. Then there were key pieces of info needed. Yet again it would have taken months to find out. Once I knew they had everything needed it took two days for approval. However it took considerably longer to get them everything they needed.

Myra

I am so ticked...I called my insurance again today to see the status of the approval of my surgery. They still say the never received it (I've called every day since Lap Band Solutions said they faxed it).

So I called Lap Band Solutions. NOPE....she didn't send it over. She said when she called that my insurance excludes Morbid Obesity. I had already called my insurance a couple of times to make sure they cover it. I would have never gone this far if they do! She said she called my secondary insurance and they cover it but there is a $10,000 lifetime maximum for the surgery.

So...I called again to my primary insurance company and got the nicest person...she said morbid obesity is excluded unless it is medically necessary and they have to review the doctors notes, etc. to determine that. So she started researching call history and saw where I called everyday but never show my doctors office calling. I am fuming . I called the girl back at Lap Band Solutions and told her she must immediately fax the information and predetermination over to my insurance.

I want to have this surgery before October 1st because that is when my husband's insurance rolls over for the new year.

Should I call Dr. St. Laurent and tell them the run around I'm getting? I went to AIGB 2-1/2 weeks ago...I feel everything should have already been sent to my insurance.

Also, on the secondary insurance...have any of you delt with that where the maximum is so low? I'm wondering if that is just for the surgeons portion and not for the anesthesiologist and surgery center.

Stay on top of Lap Band Solutions, they are a lil' slow. You could call Dr's office, not sure how much it will help, but it can't hurt. Maybe dealing with the two insurances has lap band solutions confused..........who knows!

Try to relax............make some phone calls, it will all work out.

Thanks! I just called Dr. St. Laurent's office. They are going to call Lap Band Solutions and call me back.

I was self-pay, so I didn't have the insurance run-around. Wishing you well and hope things go quickly for you!

Hello All,

I haave United Health Care and it was like 2 weeks and I had an answer back that it was covered as it was deemed medically necessary.

UHC is really good and if you are in Chattanooga considering the Lap Band I highly reccommend Memorial Weight Loss as the staff is awesome.

They will answer any questions and as it gets closer to surgery I seem to have more

Take care