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I am freaking out on the inside,but trying to look calm to everyone around me. I went through a three month program of psyc eval, dietician, supervised 1200 cal a day diet. After my last weigh in I was told by my Dr's office everything had been submitted and two weeks later I get my letter denying coverage. The reason is because Aetna said they didn't receive any proof of medical necessity. My Dr's office didn't meet the dead line.

The appeal has been filed. I am ????

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I have Aetna but I never knew of a deadline...are you sure that was the real reason for denial?

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Deadline for what? For medical necessity, they need to show you have at least the BMI that Aetna requires with no comorbidities, or the lower BMI with the comorbidities.

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Sounds to me like your doctor didn't write the letter of recommendation stating it is medically needed. I've had to wait since Oct 5th to get my surgeon to write one because he was out of town and out of the office all that time. Without one, it's an auto denial even though they don't list it in the requirements. I was dumbfounded when I found out we had to have one otherwise I would have been on them weeks before I finished to get it done.

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According to the insurance coordinator at my Dr's office she was told by Aetna that she missed a 72 hour deadline to have all of my clinical info faxed to them. Which doesn't make sense because she submitted on a thursday and I was denied the next day. Aetna told me they denied it because they had received no proof of medical necessity. The IC said she had never had this happen before. So... I am not sure what to believe! But I didn't get a letter of medical necessity from my GP because I was told with my bmi and co morbidity I didn't need it.

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I am wondering if I should get a letter from my doctor anyway. The insurance coordinator said they had already filed an appeal though...so maybe it is too late.

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Couldn't hurt to have one. Definitely appeal!

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Called Aetna and they say my appeal should be decided by Nov 4th.

As far as the time limit on the turn around? They said it was 24 hours my surgeon's office submitted everything on the same day. So they are really just being dishonest. The rep with the precertification department was so rude...she wouldn't let me speak and intterupted me constantly. I am sooooo frustrated right now! This never should have been denied...and all I can do now is wait.

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I really hope it goes your way. Hang in there!

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I'm sorry this is happening to you I hate dealing with Aetna I work in a psychiatrist office and every time we deal with them I want to kill the person on the other end I always get the run around

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Lol that is exactly what it has been! So much conflicting information! I finally was able to get them to say Texas law states there is a 72 hour turn around time. My clinicals were requested 10/16 at 3:07 they were faxed at 3:30 and I was denied at 4:39 so there basis of denial being that they didnt receive clinicals before I was denied by the medical director is a total lie. So after several hours of being on hold and speaking to everyone's supervisor, the nurse is calling me in the morning! I realize they won't overturn the denial but I am going to ask that my appeal be expedited due to their "mistake".

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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.

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        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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