Ok Banded pro's this is my first time posting , I would like to know if n e 1 has been banded in columbus, ohio at the Mt. Carmel hospital and if so how was your experience? I have just sent in my first set of paper work to be approve by their Dr. Also they are charging $300.00 for administrator fee (paper pushing to the Ins.), not to mention I will have to spend another $200.00 for their nutritionist and this $500.00 is not covered by my insurance:faint: . Are fee's normal? I was just wondering because I feel as much as the surgery cost, these things should be included! N E help would be nice

TM, I'm glad your CPAP has helped you. :thumbup: In my case, however, I wasn't aware of any problems before I got it and haven't noticed any difference since I've had it. The only reason I had the sleep study done is because my cardiologist required it for my cardiac clearance. Hopefully, once I lose some weight I can eventually get rid of the machine.

ndwife,

The bariatric team didn't require a pulmonary clearance or sleep study (just my cardiologist) and I don't think the sleep study results were sent to Dr. Choban. All that was sent was a cardiac clearance. So, no, I don't think the sleep apnea was included when my insurance request was submitted. ~greg

I got a call from Barix Clinic to set up for my pre-op testing. They will do it next week, but still waiting for an EKG report. I made a call and got that ball rolling AGAIN. I did my dance cause its so close now. The phone rings again, its the insurance dept calling to let me know how much I will need to bring to my next visit....get ready for this.....$11,460.00. I just about fell over. When I first contacted them they said they were in my net-work, and my insurance said the same and Mt. Carmel wasn't, now THEY ARE NOT!!!!!!! If I cussed I would be doing it right now!!!! I have cried for about an hour. Take a guess at who is in my net-work now...... Yep, MT. CARMEL!!!!!!!!!! ARRRRGGGG!!!! ALMOST ONE FULL YEAR LATER!!!!!!!! I am so angry!!!!!!!!!! Now I have to start over again at Mt. Carmel where I wanted to go in the first place..... This is a very sucky day!

Ohhhh sweety, that sucks so bad for you! :-( I'm crying with you... augh!

When you go to Mt. Carmel, explain what's happened and perhaps they can get all of the information in your files transfered over from Barics and save you some time with the testing etc... it might not be as bad as you think it is right now.

{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}

TM I am so sorry to hear that..I know how aggravating all this stuff is when you want it so bad. ...and I know saying"hang in there" one more time makes you want to scream..but HANG IN THERE..it will happen for you! And by the way.....I do cuss..and I'm cussing a blue streak for you right now!!!!!! :tt2: Hugs :tongue:

Hey Greg...it was nice meeting you! See you on the 17th.:tea:

TM -- me too! I'm so sorry for you. Hopefully Mt. Carmel can take the various doctor reports and clearances you have from preparing to go to Barix and that should cut time off. I feel so bad for you. Hang in there. P.S. I'm a person that cries instead of cussing too - at least most of the time but every now and then one slips out.

Everyone - stay warm -- Blizzard of 2008 evidently is upon us!

Sue & Greg -- how did the day or morning of pre-op admission testing go? Mine is March 11. Did they put you guys on pre-op diet now?

Angie, I would be cussing right along with you if I cussed too:mad::w00t::tea: but since we don't letl just be very angry, cry , rant and punch a pillow and pretend that it is your ins. company together!!!! Okay know that we have vented together. I must repent and lets do the right thing and Pray that when you call Mt. Carmel and tell them that your Insurance has already approved you and you did start with them they will agree to take you and all the other Dr. and test results, I don't see why the wouldn't but lets pray they do the right thing!!!!!

SpecialK, did Dr. Price put you on the liquid diet or did you start that on your own to get a jump start on weight loss? Dr. Choban never put us on a liquid diet, or any diet before surgery. She just stated that lossing weight before surgery helps shrink the liver and makes it easier for her during surgery. I was just wondering I don't think I could have done a liquid diet before the surgery and then have to do liquid after surgery for two to three weeks. You have alot of will power:thumbs_up:.

I am so excited for you guys having surgery March 17.!!!!!!!

My only instructions were...the day before surgery beginning at noon only drink clear liquids and drink nothing after midnight.

:lurk5:SpecialK , make sure you stick a snack or something in your purse.

Greg was there early enough to have time for breakfast after his labs but as soon as they were done with me I had to rush up stairs to the class and from there to EKG and physical. I think you hike for a good 5 miles all over the hospital at a fast pace.( could they be trying to jump start our weight loss??) Any way....back to the point of this story. From midnight the night before I had no coffee and no food until 2:00pm that afternoon. I was starving and so in need of coffee after jogging those hallways all day!:w00t: On the bright side...everyone there was very nice so other than starving it was a pleasant enough experience. Oh.. and the Doc. informed me that I am diabetic and that hopefully losing weight would take care of it. Now where in the heck was that diagnosis when I was fighting with the insurance company??? :tea:

Thinner Me-

The same thing happened to my mom. She is going to Dr. Curry and had her surgery denied and then sent in a appeal. By the time the appeal went through her insurance dropped him. Well, since she had signed a contract with him (apprently that is how he does it) and started the process with him the insurance had to pay. I would check with your insurance and explain to them your concerns because you were approved for Barix at the time. It is not your fault it takes that long to go through everything and the finally get a surgery date.

Good Luck!!

TM - insurance can be a real pain in the a$$! You can't live without it, but they sure make life miserable even when you do have it. The day before I had my psych consult, I checked and my psychologist was in-network. Then, mysteriously, when the claim was processed, he was out-of-network. Keep plugging away and we'll all keep praying for you!

Sue - likewise, it's always good to be able to put a face with a name. See you on Monday. I wonder if we'll get a green I.V. for St. Paddy's Day?

Special K - My testing time was supposed to be 8:30 but I got there around 8:00. It doesn't seem to matter what time you are scheduled. In fact, I think that maybe Charlene arbitrarily assigns testing times just so everybody doesn't show up at the same time. They took me right away and I was done with the chest x-ray and blood draw very quickly. I was actually pleasantly surprised. Then I had an hour to kill before the 9:30 class with Michelle and Melissa. By the way, Michelle (the dietician) is leaving Mt. Carmel. They will tell you to call 234-LIFE and schedule your post-op class. The last one she is offering is April 2nd, so I got in that one. She doesn't know when they will find a replacement. See you on the 17th!

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. Its nice to know your not alone when things like this happens.

I contacted Mt. Carmel this afternoon and there is an "educational forum" on March 12th so I got signed up for that. Barbra, the lady I spoke with, said she couldn't answer many of my questions, but I should bring everything I've done to date with me to the seminar and they will be able to answer everything at that time. Funny, I'm not as excited to attend this siminar as I was the last one :tea:.