I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOO PISSED!!!!. I went to Dr. Spiegel's office on July 7th for my consultation and to submitt my paperwork with United Healthcare. I chose to go to him because he has performed over 6000 surgeries, despite some of the rumors that I have heard about him and his office. After going to the seminar, I was impressed with him and felt good about my decision to go there. I called a week later to see if they were needing any additional information from me such as previous doctors records and to see if they had heard anything, and I was told by my RUDE case worker Lulu that and I quote "I don't know the status of your case for I just submitted the information on July 12th and do not have time to stay on the phone and call the insurance companies for every patient that we have. But feel free to call UHC everyday if you would like!!!" I wanted in my heart to believe that she was just having a bad day............boy was I wrong! I decided to call my insurance co a week later on July 18th to check the status and was happy to find out that I HAD BEEN APPROVED!!! So I called Lulu to tell her so we could set up a surgery date and was told that they had to have a copy of the approval letter BEFORE they would schedule the appt.I was fine with that. So I waited and checked the mail every day and finally it came in on July 25th. I emailed the approval letter to her on July 26th and she forwarded it to Pam at their Houston office to schedule the surgery. Pam finally called me back at 1:00pm that day to schedule the appt. Great right??? WRONG!! It was then that I had learned that my information that had been sent to UHC to be approved had requested that the surgery be done at University General Hospital (a new hospital in Houston which Spiegel had raved about during his seminar) which was OUT OF NETWORK for me!!! They never asked me where I wanted the surgery to be done!!! I assumed that they would set it up with 12 Oaks which is the only In Network Hospital that he goes to!!! I was told to redo it so I could go to 12 Oaks that all of my paperwork would have to be resubmitted to UHC and could not tell me how long it would take!!! I AM SOOOO MAD!!! I call UHC to verify this and Pam was correct!!! I have left multiple voice mails for Pam to call me because I have questions and I have yet to hear from her. So I have decided that I am going to make me an appt with another doctor closer to home being that I live in Lake Charles. I just wanted to let anyone considering Spiegel to know what they would be getting themselves into before they wasted their time!!!If this is the way they are treating me know, how would they react if something were really wrong with me after I had the surgery. That is the question I asked myself and I figure that if I am going to have to wait for another approval that I will go to someone else.

Sorry so long just needed to vent!!!

I would strongly suggest going to Dr Spivak:D

I would recommend Dr. Spivak also. He is a great Dr.

Dr. Spivak is the doctor of choice in Houston. He is the kindest man I have ever met. His office staff and nurses are wonderful and they are all very friendly. He did my surgery on 1-12-07 and I have been nothing but pleased with my interaction with him and his staff.

I have heard one story like yours after the next about Dr. Spiegel.

Keep your approval letter and see a different doctor.. YOU are the consumer here

I got knocked out of the ball game very early with Dr. Speigel because he quit accepting Aetna PERIOD.

I called Dr. Spivak's office, but when I happily announced that I'd met Aetna's criteria for lap-band, I was told that Dr. Spivak believes if you meet Aetna's Criteria for lap-band, you are not a good candidate for lap-band and he won't operate.

What the....??????

So, I just gave up for a while. Then the diabetes came on. Then a heart condition acted up. My cardiologist referred me to Dr. Miranda and altho' I haven't been banded YET, they (and he!) have been nothing but marvelous to me so far.

My best friend went to Spiegel. He botched her so badly she felt like she was going to die. She had to have emergency surgery. Another surgeon had to repair the damage and completely redo the lap band. She said getting a fill was like cattle in a cattle car. You were just a number. She was VERY disappointed. We now go to the same doctor and she's finally doing wonderful. I don't recommend Spiegel.

I called Dr. Spivak's office, but when I happily announced that I'd met Aetna's criteria for lap-band, I was told that Dr. Spivak believes if you meet Aetna's Criteria for lap-band, you are not a good candidate for lap-band and he won't operate.

I am not sure I understand what that means . . .

Lynn

I went to Spiegel first.....they were no help at all with insurance....the girls there were all rude and just passed me around and sent my calls to voice mail. Well insurance denied everything so a year later I got my ducks in order, got financing and heard about Dr. Spivak being great and that his office staff was just as great so I went to him. Thank God I have not had any emergencies but they are always willing to help me!!

Sandra

255h/242s/206c/165g

Originally Posted by NanaRenan

I called Dr. Spivak's office, but when I happily announced that I'd met Aetna's criteria for lap-band, I was told that Dr. Spivak believes if you meet Aetna's Criteria for lap-band, you are not a good candidate for lap-band and he won't operate.

I am not sure I understand what that means . . .

Lynn

I know it's confusing.

And I"m not even sure I wrote it out.

They said that Aetna's list of criteria for lap-banding is actually a list of things that would make you not be a good candidate for GASTRIC BYPASS -- the item I met was a past history of adhesions following surgeries.

So, Spivak said if you aren't a good candidate for gastric, you're not a good candidate for lap-banding either.

Is that any clearer??

Need a Lap- Band Doctor in Texas

The doctor I was planning to use (spiegel) and saw for consult and who just filed for surgery approval isn't on my preferred provider Aetna PPO plan anymore! They were 8 months ago but no longer. Only when I emailed to ask was this revealed. So now, if approved I will have to pay for over 50% out of pocket or find another Doctor who is on the Aetna IN-NETWORK preferred provider list. I called Aetna to ask for a list of names and they were NOT helpful. Told me doctors prefer to not be labeled with that title (lap band surgeon) and suggested I do my own research. HUH!?!?!?!

Anyone here know of a good caring Lap Band doctor in the Houston/Beaumont/Galveston/southeast texas area that is IN-NETWORK for Aetna PPO???? I can't believe they left me hanging out to dry like this....

After reading this thread, will I need to start all over to get aetna's ok for the surgery????

Any advice is much appreciated as my tears may drown me.

Anyone here know of a good caring Lap Band doctor in the Houston/Beaumont/Galveston/southeast texas area that is IN-NETWORK for Aetna PPO???? I can't believe they left me hanging out to dry like this....

After reading this thread, will I need to start all over to get aetna's ok for the surgery????

Any advice is much appreciated as my tears may drown me.

Girl, dry those eyes!! This is your lucky day!

First thing tomorrow!!! Call Dr. Fernando Miranda's office and tell them Pam sent you!! They could not have possibly been any more fabulous to me through this whole ordeal with the insurance and problems at the hospitals -- I can't brag on them enough. He's fabulous, his office staff is fabulous....

About Dr. Miranda