Hi there! I'm brand new to this whole thing, and wanted to join this site for support and conversation through my journey. I have looked into surgery twice before but didn't have insurance coverage, and am now looking into it again since I have a fantastic employer with wonderful benefits. I have met with a surgeon and medically qualify, and am now jumping through the hoops to apply for authorization. I'd love to chat with people and hear about everyone's paths to surgery and after surgery, and am so excited to join this site!

Hello and welcome, I am Kat. I am waiting for approval from the insurance and have conpleated everything but the pro-opp class. I am glad you found the site, It has been very helpful and the people are very supportiive. keep updating on your progress.

Hello and welcome, I am Kat. I am waiting for approval from the insurance and have conpleated everything but the pro-opp class. I am glad you found the site, It has been very helpful and the people are very supportiive. keep updating on your progress.

Hi Kat, so nice to meet you, and thanks for the reply! Good luck with the insurance approval - keep me updated!

Welcome we are so glad you found us. You will find a wealth of information and support here. Any questions just ask.. Also the search feature at the top is wonderful, just put in a word you want to know something about and a list of previous posts comes up. Jumping through the hoops seems to take forever and is almost harder than the surgery itself. I am not quite two weeks post op so everyday is a new day and a new learning experience. Again Welcome.

Welcome we are so glad you found us. You will find a wealth of information and support here. Any questions just ask.. Also the search feature at the top is wonderful' date=' just put in a word you want to know something about and a list of previous posts comes up. Jumping through the hoops seems to take forever and is almost harder than the surgery itself. I am not quite two weeks post op so everyday is a new day and a new learning experience. Again Welcome.[/quote']

Vicki, thanks so much! It's great to hear that others have found all of the hoop jumping to be exhausting too. And thanks for the tip on the search bar - I will definitely utilize that. Congrats on being post op, and good luck on seeing results!

Hi I'm Dawn and I too am in the middle of my process and jumping thru insurance hoops! I do know that I am approved for surgery and im just working on getting thru the process.

hey what's up im fred and im also going through the whole thing. I have two more appointments left and I get a surgery date. I don't have insurance so im paying cash so I don't have to deal with the insurance. ive heard dealing with the insurance is pretty shitty and takes some time

Fred Montana JR

Welcome! I love love this site! I started this journey back in March 2012. I had to jump thru insurance hoops as well, in fact I had to change surgeons 2 months in. (God works in mysterious ways:) ) in June I met with the "new" surgeon and I couldn't be happier! Office staff and himself were night and day different. He also changed my surgery plan, as I was originally wanting the sleeve. (I couldn't have the sleeve because i had GERD). Long story short... I had my surgery Oct 12th and could not be happier. I had a hernia repaired and the rny surgery with no complications.. and have not felt this good in YEARS! I didn't know I had so much pain from acid reflux and... its completely gone! The insurance hoops are the worst part of the surgery! Ask any questions you have!!

yee

Welcome to the group. We are your support team. Ask questions & all...

I've already learned a lot from just reading everyone's threads! I can't wait to actually see the surgeon and get a date. Self pay is certainly the way to go if you can, for me not a option. I am thru kaiser permanent. So far not to terrible. Just lots of classes to go to before anything can happen. I'm off to another class tomorrow. Then after that nutrition and social worker visits. Then not sure. So just plodding along.

Welcome to the boards Lissa. Glad you are here

Hi I'm Dawn and I too am in the middle of my process and jumping thru insurance hoops! I do know that I am approved for surgery and im just working on getting thru the process.

Hi Dawn, thanks so much for replying! What hoops do you still have to jump through? I have three more months of doc visits and five more months of nutritionist before I can get approved. Then I have a cardiac assessment, sleep apnea exam, venous doppler and something else before surgery. Sure seems like a lot.

hey what's up im fred and im also going through the whole thing. I have two more appointments left and I get a surgery date. I don't have insurance so im paying cash so I don't have to deal with the insurance. ive heard dealing with the insurance is pretty shitty and takes some time

Fred Montana JR

Hi Fred, that sucks that you're doing self pay, but that's awesome that you're dedicated enough to do that! Good luck!

Welcome! I love love this site! I started this journey back in March 2012. I had to jump thru insurance hoops as well' date=' in fact I had to change surgeons 2 months in. (God works in mysterious ways:) ) in June I met with the "new" surgeon and I couldn't be happier! Office staff and himself were night and day different. He also changed my surgery plan, as I was originally wanting the sleeve. (I couldn't have the sleeve because i had GERD). Long story short... I had my surgery Oct 12th and could not be happier. I had a hernia repaired and the rny surgery with no complications.. and have not felt this good in YEARS! I didn't know I had so much pain from acid reflux and... its completely gone! The insurance hoops are the worst part of the surgery! Ask any questions you have!![/quote']

Hi there, thanks for the response! That's crazy that you had to switch surgeons, but I'm glad it worked out! I'm finding that some of the hoops are for the insurance company and some are specific to the surgeon. Did you have a similar experience?

Welcome to the boards Lissa. Glad you are here

Thanks Kristy! I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I start launching questions at everyone like I'm playing Angry Birds...