Hello everyone. I was just wondering if anyone else has blue cross blue shield of Iowa and if they had the surgery did you have to go through a lot of hoops to get it approved? Denials before approvals? I am just starting this journey. Done a 6 month diet with my family doc 2 others times and succeeded with them just gained all the weight and then some back. Surgeon at seminar said if it had been over 2 years I should start again. So here I am again going to the doc monthly and all that hoopla.

I honestly think sometimes the reason for all of this is so that the insurance company can see how committed you are to pursuing this whole thing.

Oh well......that is another complaint for another night.

So I am now on weight watchers...yet again....and I am starving as I type. GRRRRRRRRRRR

Please give me any feedback you have in regards to this insurance. I am so afraid that I am going to jump their hoops and they are going to shoot me down. :angry

I live in Washington so I am having it done here by Dr. Fox. I don't have a date yet. I have to work out some things with my schedule first. Hopefully I will have a date by Monday. I know I really got lucky with not having a supervised diet. My Dr is very strict with pre and post op follow-up, so I will be on a supervised diet with him for at least the next year or two, until I reach my goal weight. Woohoo!! How much longer do you have before you can submit your info to the ins? I hope everything goes smoothly for you.

Do you have BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF IOWA?

XGRL

My BMI is 47. My friend has a BMI of only 36 and she was approved. She has diabetis. She has been trying to get the surgery for a while but she only had 1 co morbidity. Now she has high cholesterol and they approved her because now she has 2 co morbidities. Am I the ony one or does that sound ass nine? They wouldn't approve it until her health became WORSE!!! I don't get it. Good luck to you and congrats on taking control now. Don't let them deny and then walk away. Keep trying!!

I haven't had surgery yet either but I am hoping by August. The surgeons office told me they don't think I will have any problem getting approved because of my BMI and I now have diagnosed sleep apnea and use a CPAP. I have 1 more visit for the supervised diet and then we will be submitting. I have already done my endoscopy, sleep study, psych eval, nutritionist, surgery consult, echocardiogram and now just 1 more month of the 6 month supervised diet. I have been very proactive in this persuit getting all of my testing done prior to even submitting. The surgeon told me that was great because I shouldn't have any waiting time once/if I am approved for surgery except for the 2 week liquid diet prior to surgery. Thank Goodness.

Good luck on your pursuit and keep us posted. I will post when/if anything new happens here.

Hey Jackie,

I just went to my Primary Care Doctor and got my weight for the last 4 or 5 years and i talked to her my asthma has actually gotten worse and i'm having bad Acid Reflux (also went to my dentist today they said it's wearing the enamal of my teeth down pretty bad, I wonder what it's doing to my esophigus) but i got increase meds on both of those so I really hope this helps with my insurance my doctor said that it would be beneficial but she doesn't know if she would deem it medically necessary with just those two kinda disapointing but hopefully the seminar tomorrow will explain enough so i can get it covered, how are you doing with your insurance? have you set a date yet?

XGRL I am now finished with the supervised diet. I have seen my pcp for the last 6 months but refused my weight back in January when I seen him so I thought I would have to go again in July to be weighed. he told me we could count January because I know what I weighed because of eight Watchers!!!!!! So today the surgeons office called me and told me they have everything they needed except 1 form my pcp still needed to fax and then we would be submitting to insurance. I am so excited and nervous about getting approved/denied. I am reallly hoping I am approved. I have a BMI of 46.2, GERD/acid reflux, sleep apnea and ache knees. Crossing my fingers and every thing else. I am starting to look like a pretzel here.

Good luck on the acid reflux and asthma. I know how rough they can both be. I have the reflux but my sister has the asthma. She is really limited to what she can and can't do because of it. The reflux sure does play heck on the teeth but your right....what about the esophagus?!?!

Anyway.....keep us posted on what is going on. I will post as soon as I hear the decission. PRAY real hard for me!!!!!

Do you have BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF IOWA?

Yes I have BCBS of Iowa. I know it is confusing because I live in Washington, but the company I have insurance through is based in Iowa. I have to wait to have my surgery until my summer school quarter is out. I will have my Preop appointment on July 27 then my surgery on Aug. 15 or 17th. Woohoo. I'm sure you will have no problem getting aproved since you did the supervised diet and have comorbidities. Good luck to you.

Yes I have BCBS of Iowa. I know it is confusing because I live in Washington, but the company I have insurance through is based in Iowa. I have to wait to have my surgery until my summer school quarter is out. I will have my Preop appointment on July 27 then my surgery on Aug. 15 or 17th. Woohoo. I'm sure you will have no problem getting aproved since you did the supervised diet and have comorbidities. Good luck to you.

How long did it take to get approved. Just curious. Thanks for the input.

I'm Really Hoping You Get Approved!!!! It would be so awesome I think this surgery can really help us all start a new healthier way of living if only the insurance company could see all the money they'd be saving in the future!! Good Luck!!!! Praying for you!!!!

:update:

Had to tell everyone I AM APPROVED!!!!!!! The paperwork was messed up so they approved me for the RouxenY but surgeons office resubmitted for lapband and BCBS said they would not tell 100% that I was approved but they would say 99.99% approved . They told me that is because they had to make sure my BMI was below 50 and it is. The review board just has to look at that and she said I would receive my letter of approval Monday or Tuesday.

Surgery is scheduled for July 23!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so nervous, scared, doubtful, excited, anxious and about every other emotion you can think of all rolled into one!!

1 month from today I will become a bandster.:clap2::roll: