Our insurance is due to expire before my 6 month and 12 month check ups. At that time I will be a self pay. Has anyone gone through this? Have you skipped an appointment, what do they look for then?

Any other self-payers willing to share would be awesome.

Thanks in advance,

Carol

I kinda went through this. My employer dropped our Blue Shield *** (a month before my appt) and I was forced to switch to Kaiser. I decided to keep my one year follow up with my surgeon and pay the $40 office visit and then I just went in and had my labs done a month early (since I already had the order). I still plan on seeing my surgeon at my 2 year follow up (along with the Kaiser NP).....the $40 office visit is worth it!!

Luckily for me, we pay a small fee $200.00 prior to surgery that gives us unlimited visits with the Nurse practitioner and nutritionist, monthly classes, free meeting with an exercise specialist for life. I go once a month for check ups, weigh ins and they even send me for blood work.

It's worth having some sort of communication and check ins to keep you going in the right direction. Speak to the doctor in advance and ask them if they have any sort of program like that to help keep you going in the right direction and tell him that money is an issue. I really believe that as long as you are continuing to work towards your goal your doctor will want your continued check-ins and would like to keep tabs on you and will work with you. It is good to have a success story walking into his office to help build up the moral of those just starting the process.

I just had my 6 month appt and it was just with the NP and nutritionist and they basically just asked how it ws going and how I felt. I did have blood work the week prior that they told me about during this appt (basically said all labs looked great). It was almost a waste of time and almost feels like they just have you in so that thay can now keep track of you for statistical reasons. Basically, I was in there just to BS with the nurses....

That being said, to me it is still worth the trip in because it helps with my motivation. I don't want to be that guy who reverts back to bad old habits and destroys all of my progres. If I need to have a doctors appt with them to keep me motivated (have someone looking over my shoulder) then so be it.

On a good note, they did say I was progressing very well and at my 6 month appt, I was where they hoped I would be a 1.5 years out. So, that is a good thing! Sometimes you just need that reassurance that you are doing a good job regardless of how high your self esteem is!