does anyone know the policy and procedure to have approval to receive the sleeve surgery through them ?

I just got my surgery yesterday through Kaiser and am very happy! At my site, you had to have a BMI of 35 or more and/or be at least 100 pounds overweight. They also required a handful of informational classes, a psych evaluation, surgeon appointments and I had to lose ten pounds before my surgery was schedule do

Hope this helped!

@@The Candidate can tell you allllll about Kaiser and their 6 month required classes

I just got my surgery yesterday through Kaiser and am very happy! At my site, you had to have a BMI of 35 or more and/or be at least 100 pounds overweight. They also required a handful of informational classes, a psych evaluation, surgeon appointments and I had to lose ten pounds before my surgery was schedule do

Hope this helped!

how long was the process ???

@@The Candidate can tell you allllll about Kaiser and their 6 month required classes

I heard kaiser was not doing their long process anymore

It depends on where you are. I'm Kaiser Southern CA and they do require 24 weeks (six months) of classes. They call it their Options Program. I just got home from class #2. I started them in Nov. 14 and won't finish until May 15.

On the other hand I've heard that Kaiser Northern CA only requires 12 weeks (three months). I have no idea why the requirements vary so much with each locale.

It does depend on the location I believe. I went to South San Francisco. My first introductory class was mid July. Once I finished all the classes and evaluations it was probably the end of August. The earliest surgery date was October but due to work I had to push my surgery date to November.

Did you all lose the 10% required weight prior to the surgery?

I had my surgery at a kaiser in northern CA. My intro class was in February and my surgery was in April. I could have had it in march but I had to wait until I had time off from work. There were about 3-4 classes/visits in between with a psyc eval, etc. Many people starting the same time as me were required my their surgeons to lose 20 pounds pre surgery. I wasn't required to lose anything as my BMI was already below 40.

I'm in week 15 of the 24 weeks of Options classes, which is the requirement in my area (Southern CA San Diego), and I have already lost the 10 percent. But honestly, it doesn't seem to be a huge deal, at least not to the point where they'd deny you surgery over it. We've had several guest speakers, five in total, all past Options graduates/post ops, and with one exception, none had lost the 10 percent beforehand.

They will include an extra step after graduation where you have to go back and see the head of the Bariatric program, which those that do lose the 10 percent don't have to do (and in fact the work book says if you even get within ten pounds you get to skip it too), but that's it.

But as the above poster illustrates, the requirements vary widely from area to area.

Sent from my iPad

How much time did you take off work?

Edited March 11, 201511 yr by likelike

I am currently starting the process in Northern California. So far I have had the introductory 2 hour course and will have to have to do a 4 hr course and weigh in on the 24th of this month. I know that they have you do the mental evaluation, make sure you are up to date with all your preventative care, and will have to lose some weight. They go by the highest weight in the past 12 months.

Once I go thru the 4hr meeting and there are other requirements, I will update

What's the four hour course? I'm in nor call too...

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Edited March 13, 201511 yr by Bluesea71

How much time did you take off work?

I took two weeks off but could have easily gone back in a week. I have a job that isn't physically demanding though. I was also very lucky and have had zero complications.

Edited March 11, 201511 yr by Bluesea71

Well the 4 hr course is the introduction to the bariatric surgery department. There will be guest speakers from the surgeons and dieticians. They will weight you, then tell you what you need to do next. I guess during that time they will also give you your next appointment. They mentioned it could be that day or another time.

When I go, I will have more info to share.

What part of northern california? I am in the sacramento area