So I just received a horrible phone call from my doctors office. According to them the hospital is closing down the bariatric program "because bariatric surgery is not in the hospitals future plans" and that means no surgery for me! I was scheduled for a week from today and have been doing a 2 shake and one meal diet since the 1st of the year!!!!!!!! So I called the hospital CEO and they told me that the office is staying open until April and I should not have to miss my surgery. Well I called back my doctors office who is now telling me the Hospital is lying to me, yes they are staying open until April but only to help patients(who have already had surgery) transfer to new clinics, so that they can get hooked in with services for fills etc. and that the hospital halted their surgery rights. At this point I am raging mad! I have worked so hard since July!!!!!! I do not think it is fair to call someone right before hand and tell them oh, too bad you are going to have to start all over somewhere else! I did get an appointment in Denver, (about 1 1/2 hours away) to restart, I can't but feel like maybe this is a sign that I shouldn't do this, or that I dodged a bullet. I have a hard time believing that that is why the office is getting closed down? Northern Colorado Medical Center is supposedly a nationwide center for bariatric excellence. ugh, discouraged and just plain pissed off! I don't know exactly what my rights are, but I have called the patient relation liaison and I will be filling out a grievance! And believe me I am very persistent, so don't be surprised if you see my fat ass on the news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited January 9, 201412 yr by RSifers

@ toomuchfun Dr. Johnell is/ was my doc. I just went in to get my records and asked about the other hospitals. They told me that he just has fill clinics there and doesn't perform surgery there.

Is he not practicing any surgeries anymore?

Is he not practicing any surgeries anymore?

@ toomuchfun Dr. Johnell is/ was my doc. I just went in to get my records and asked about the other hospitals. They told me that he just has fill clinics there and doesn't perform surgery there.

That was my thought as I was reading through this....if anyone should be concerned, it would be the Dr....HE would have been given plenty of notice, and time, that the Hospital was shutting down the program, giving him time to transfer his affiliation with a different hospital.....He has a career to continue, not to mention his business, his office, and his staff's salaries, etc....

It should have been a simple notice to you from your Dr.'s office of the change in venue....at worst, you would have to repeat the pre-admission testing at the new hospital....

The Surgeon I started this with decided to retire a few weeks before my surgery date, he sold his entire practice to new partners, and everything changed....but it was weeks prior, and just a formality.

Edited January 9, 201412 yr by B-52

The ACA has also protected ALL of us on this forum. Before the bill passed, we could be denied coverage or care due to our pre-existing conditions: morbid obesity, HBP, diabetes...

That can't happen now!

I don't know if this has anything to do with the ACA or not....but....Hospitals and Dr.'s are dropping certain things because even though the ACA will approve them, the reimbursement is too low for a Dr. or Hospital to continue that particular procedure....

But I don't want to get off track.....that's another topic entirely.

I went to rose medical center, they have Denver center for bariatrics. Maybe explain your situation n see if they could help

I did end up getting an appointment at Rose medical center, with Dr.snyder. they are going to see me even though they don't accept my insurance; they said that they would make an exception due to the circumstances.I am not sure if he is moving his practice or why I received such short notice. I just went in there to collect my records and the staff were very Apologetic towards me.I am not sure why I am still getting conflicting stories, it makes the whole thing seem very questionable to me.

I did end up getting an appointment at Rose medical center, with Dr.snyder.

It could have been and intervention. Maybe the old Hospital and/or Doctor was not doing a good job and you will find a much better place. Don't jump to fast, find somewhere you are completely comfortable with. Check them out.

It took me a year to get approved and tested.

That is great news to hear! I got mine done from Snyder 10 months ago and have lost 60 lbs and counting! They really are good! I hope it works out for you! If you would like information about them or just need help you can send me a message! I'd be glad to help!

Be sure and not miss any of your monthly pcp appts, even if you've met the requirements. At least not before checking with your insurance about it. I know a lady that had all of her appts done and took 2 months to decide if she really wanted to have the surgery afterall, didn't see her pcp for 1 of those months and did actually have to start all over.

That is some BS I hope everything works out for you.

As the late, great Steve Prefontaine (was a track and field star training for the Olympics when he died in a car accident, 1970's) said .......... " Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great." In other words, there might be something even better for you than what you had in mind . Maybe someone upstairs is looking out for you in ways you had'nt thought of. Works for me ! Good luck !

I don't know if this has anything to do with the ACA or not....but....Hospitals and Dr.'s are dropping certain things because even though the ACA will approve them, the reimbursement is too low for a Dr. or Hospital to continue that particular procedure.... But I don't want to get off track.....that's another topic entirely.

how do I start a new thread?

I don't know if this has anything to do with the ACA or not....but....Hospitals and Dr.'s are dropping certain things because even though the ACA will approve them, the reimbursement is too low for a Dr. or Hospital to continue that particular procedure.... But I don't want to get off track.....that's another topic entirely.

how do I start a new thread?

It depends on what you use to access this site? I use a PC so if you just go to forums at the top of the page and click on any forum and then click on "Start a new topic".

I love that we all "blame" Obama, ACA, the hospital etc

The first thing I thought of when she said the hospital future goals isn't bariatric was the fact their morbidity rates were probably high?

It takes a lot for a hospital to stop offering something like this and usually it's because too many things went wrong along the way

I would see this as a blessing if you believe in karma. You should check with your states insurance commissioner, google search for morbidity rates at the facility.

Unfortunately many times the rates you find on the internet are several years old.

how do I start a new thread?

Many on this forum have found insurance available to them now that ACA is in effect.

Many were self pay or just denied for précis ting condition.

heck yeah i'd be mad at thehospital who pulled this stunt.call ur insurance compony.i have eaten out of anger so watch urself u have come so far. all the best to u.