My name Kelley I am form alabama and was banaded 11-2-06 by Dr. Black in Anniston. I Have lost 12 lbs so far. Would like to talk to other people in my area.

I am so aggravated right now! I just found out that BCBS of Alabama has taken Lap-band off the investigational list. This means they will now pay for it. I spoke to one of the representatives from BCBS on the phone and they confirmed this. It was removed 10 days after my surgery was performed. It will pay for any lap band done after 4/10/07. Mine was 3/29/07. That really stinks!

Kelley, Hey, Im from Alabama also. Do you live in Anniston, if so Im about 20 minutes from you.

If so I have a million questions for you. It would be great to be in contact with someone close by.

Talk to you soon.

IIm sorry I have not been on in a long time. I live in Oxford outside of Anniston please email at KKKennedy13@yahoo.com

Kelley- I had my lap-band done by Dr. Freeman in Anniston. Who did yours?

I am so aggravated right now! I just found out that BCBS of Alabama has taken Lap-band off the investigational list. This means they will now pay for it. I spoke to one of the representatives from BCBS on the phone and they confirmed this. It was removed 10 days after my surgery was performed. It will pay for any lap band done after 4/10/07. Mine was 3/29/07. That really stinks!

Yeah, that does stink! I just called them and they confirmed the 4/10 date. However, the patient still has to meet the requisite qualifications which might take another 6 months...I'm not willing to wait that long, so I'm sticking w/ the self pay! I hate to have to do it, but otherwise it might be October before I could have the surgery! :faint:

Did you put something on the general board?

Laura I had my surgery 11-2-07 my surgeon was Dr. Black.

:wave: Hey Everyone!!! My name is Season, I am from Birmingham, AL.

I had my first appt. with Dr. Schmitt at Medical Center East last week. All went well, my papers were submitted to BCBS (FEDERAL) and hopefully they will approve it.

:banplease:

I will be at the support group on May 19th, it looks like I will see some of you there, I look forward to meeting you!

This is me, if you see me please say hello!

Hi Season! I'll see you at the support group meeting!

Tami

I posted this as a separate "Alabama forum" thread, but then happened to think that it might reach more people if I post to this thread, where a few people are already subscribed. So, please excuse the double post.

---------------------

I just wanted to let ya'll know about a change in the schedule for the lap band support group meeting this Saturday at Medical Center East in Birmingham.

The meeting will be:

Saturday May 19, 2007, 10:30 am, Medical Center East, BLDG 50 Classrooms 1-4.

PLEASE note the changes above. The time has been moved back to 10:30 am instead of 11:00 and the class has been moved back to the same rooms where you attended the seminar.

I have the pleasure of addressing the group this week, to tell my story and "tips for working the band". Hope you can come! (Although this group is primarily made up of patients of Dr. Miles & Schmitt, others are welcome, too.)

FYI: The web site for this group is banders4life.com

Tami

Hi Crabcake,

When you spoke with BCBS what did they tell you about the requisites? Newbie here...hi everyone!

Hi Crabcake,

When you spoke with BCBS what did they tell you about the requisites? Newbie here...hi everyone!

I'm sorry, I don't remember the details. I just remember it was going to require me to wait possibly 6 months more and I didn't want to do that.

Hi Tami,

I just wanted to say "Hi," and tell you that I'm from Pelham too! I've been researching lap band surgery for the past three years and I am in the process of trying to qualify for it. I've just learned BCBS is now paying for the surgery (I'm awaiting paperwork from them to see what hoops have to be jumped through). I would really like to self-pay because I already have enough to pay for half of the cost of the surgery, but my husband and I are both teachers in Alabama (need I say more! haha!), so the thought of insurance helping pay is so tempting, however I'm sure that there is a waiting period similar to gastric bypass as Crabcake mentioned.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I've been reading the forum for several months and I wanted to congratulate you on your weight loss--it's AMAZING and you're an inspiration to me.

Keep up the great work! (:

Tami,

For some reason I got your screen name confused with pelhamlisa hence the pelham reference in my last reply! Sorry about that!! (:

:wave: Hey Everyone!!! My name is Season, I am from Birmingham, AL.

I had my first appt. with Dr. Schmitt at Medical Center East last week. All went well, my papers were submitted to BCBS (FEDERAL) and hopefully they will approve it.

:banplease:

I will be at the support group on May 19th, it looks like I will see some of you there, I look forward to meeting you!

This is me, if you see me please say hello!

Hi MkU,

Do you know if your BCBS is making you do the 7 month dr. supervised diet? I have BCBS PEEHIP (teacher) and I just learned that BCBS will pay for lap band but I don't know what the requirements are. Just wondering if you have any info. (:

Hi MkU,

Do you know if your BCBS is making you do the 7 month dr. supervised diet? I have BCBS PEEHIP (teacher) and I just learned that BCBS will pay for lap band but I don't know what the requirements are. Just wondering if you have any info. (:

Hey K-Kat,

I am BCBS Federal, not BCBS of AL. Federal doesn't make you jump through as many hoops as AL does. My papers were submitted last week so I figure it will be a few weeks before I hear anything from them but Neaomi at Dr. Schmitt's office told me that they usually approve it pretty easily.

I actually had already done the 6-months of Dr. supervised weight loss (more like 3 years) so even if they made me do that I had already done it before I went to Dr. Schmitt. I have had a weight problem as long as I can remember, my mother had me in a child nutrition class when I was like 8 years old. I had just gotten used to the fact that I was going to be big all of my life but when I had my son my body just completely changed and I am heavier than I was when I was 9 months pregnant and no matter what I do I just can't get the weight off. That is what made me decide to try lapband. Hopefully I will get approved.

Are you going to the group tomorrow at Medical Center East? It is at 10:30 AM and anyone is welcome.

Hey K-Kat,

I am BCBS Federal, not BCBS of AL. Federal doesn't make you jump through as many hoops as AL does. My papers were submitted last week so I figure it will be a few weeks before I hear anything from them but Neaomi at Dr. Schmitt's office told me that they usually approve it pretty easily.

I actually had already done the 6-months of Dr. supervised weight loss (more like 3 years) so even if they made me do that I had already done it before I went to Dr. Schmitt. I have had a weight problem as long as I can remember, my mother had me in a child nutrition class when I was like 8 years old. I had just gotten used to the fact that I was going to be big all of my life but when I had my son my body just completely changed and I am heavier than I was when I was 9 months pregnant and no matter what I do I just can't get the weight off. That is what made me decide to try lapband. Hopefully I will get approved.

Are you going to the group tomorrow at Medical Center East? It is at 10:30 AM and anyone is welcome.

Hey Season!

How are you? I went to the Lap Band support group meeting back in February after I attended the Lap Band/Gastric Seminar at MCE earlier that morning.

I'm really torn as to what to do---I know that my BCBS will now pay for Lap band if I meet the requirements. At the same time, I've been battling my weight since 6th grade. Up-down-up-down...like a roller coaster. For the past several years I've tried every diet under the sun at least three times and while I've lost some weight each time I can't maintain it, or it just plateaus and then I get discouraged and fall off the wagon again and gain it back. The thought of going on another major diet horrifies me, but BCBS will only authorize surgery after I have been on a supervised diet for 7 months.

I've gotten to the point where I avoid family get-togethers, going out with friends...I hate to be seen in public, always depressed---it's just really killing my psyche and my spirit. My other problem is if I self pay, I'm still trying to secure the other half of the payment. My husband and I are both teachers and still paying student loans, etc. So...I just feel like I'm in a catch-22.

Any advice from anyone would be soooo appreciated.

Have a great weekend!