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Sorry to hear that.

My insurance doesn't cover WLS of any kind so I'm self-pay.

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So I also have united healthcare california PPO . They denied me too so I self paid and was sleeved 4/30.

Any chance I could get them to reimburse me. I think in actuality they should have covered me. I was 43 BMI, HBP, sleep apnea, CPAp user since '06. Fought weight whole life. Age 53 .

On the good side, very easy time so far. Still on full liquids, but getting all my Water in and 90g of Protein. Went to work 3 days after surgery. Being careful , not working full days. No gas pains, no diarrhea, no puking, foam. Oh yeah, down 20.5 lbs

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I never got my insurance to approve, and after years...I booked in Mexico....4600 for surgery and airfare for 2. Best thing I ever did...and it's only been 2 1/2 weeks.

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JPF1961: Find out if your State requires that insurance pay for weight loss surgery. If they do

you have a very good chance of getting your money back. I would at least give it a try.

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hang in there!..maybe there's a solution...can your doctor look for things medically to help you get approved...that's what my doctor told me she would do...i have not been approved yet but i am hopeful....is there a way you can appeal that decision with your insurance company?

Sending some Blessings......

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I would not give up get the phone for whoever denied it

If you have sleep ing di s orders you should still be able to get approve

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I actually had an appointment with my primary care doctor today. He was actual pretty pissed I was denied. He said he would write a letter in reference to past history with diets etc and send it in to the insurance company for an appeal. He told me that if that does not work he will keep trying. My fingers are crossed.

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I also have United HealthCare. It is their policy to deny a certain number of cases every year. Many people never appeal the decision so they save money. Typically people who appeal are approved. Don't give up.

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APPEAL IT!!! Be proactive. I had to appeal twice & I got approved.

Best of luck!!

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There are 31 states that require wls in their polices. I do billing for a living fight fight fight they will come around. They are hoping you will give up. Find their policy online and send it in with the appeal. If you show them it is in their policy and you meet the requirements they will approve. I just went to my intro seminar and the dr said that if you have diabetes high blood pressure or sleep apnea they will approve right away (in massachusetts). United is a pain in the butt but they will reverse with documentation.

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Don't give up. I went through such a fight with my insurance and they did the same thing. Came to find out that my employer was behind blocking me to do it. I had to fight with them when I found out and push to the highest positions via my benefits department and the insurance. They tag team to discourage patients because they don't want to pay for it. I fought with my benefits team and also have my surgery write letters to prove it and went to the benefits and fought them. Sometimes the employer changes the criterias to make there own requirements. Don't give up. I didn't and a week before my scheduled date I was approved on 4/22/15.

And I have United too!!! Be persistent and always take there id #

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I fluctuated from approved BMI to not and back. I was denied 3 times over a 6 year period. I finally got approved and with my new insurance I paid $1200 total! Appeal, your day will come. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
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    • Doughgurl

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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