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Starting Process- BCBS Alabama

Divamsv

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Divamsv    2

Divamsv
Posted

I am very interested in the surgery. I have BCBS of Alabama and was told I was told that I have to do a 180 day program for insurance to approve. Is this true? Any way around waiting 6 months. Please help!

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MNovalis    93

MNovalis
Posted

I am in Alabama and have BCBS as well. Of course it always depends on the individual plan itself, but I had to go through the 6 months of Dr supervised weight loss to gain approval. BUT, I don't regret it. You really do need that time to get your head wrapped around what you are about to go through, what you are about to put your body through. And it will go by pretty quickly in the grand scheme of things. My surgery date was here before I knew it! :)

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Divamsv    2

Divamsv
Posted

That's a long time but I guess I have no other choice. Some have waited 90 days so that's why I was confused. Thank you for your reply.

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Sparkles21    35

Sparkles21
Posted

It all depends on your insurance. I would call or get online (in your bcbs account) and find the EXACT requirements. Likely, you'll have to have a BMI of 35, with 2 co morbidities or a bmi of 40 or more. 6 months of a supervised diet, a psychiatric evaluation, and be medically cleared for surgery.

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Sparkles21    35

Sparkles21
Posted

Per your insurance. I have cigna and thankfully they only require the 90 days. Actually its 4 visits in at least 89 days. Most of the people I've talked to had to wait 6 months. Crappy but in the length of your life it's not too bad. And trust me, I'm very impatient!

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MNovalis    93

MNovalis
Posted

The insurance coordinator at my surgeon's office took care of contacting my insurance company for me and she is the one who got together all of my info for me. She was AMAZING! And my primary care physician said, "Lets take this 6 months to make sure that we've got all our ducks in a row and not give your insurance company any reason to stall or turn your down." Since I was 50, we took care of my 'lady doctor' visits (as he called them) as well as my colonoscopy and he even went ahead and ordered a sleep study. As soon as the insurance coordinator at the surgeon's office faxed the last report from my 6th month visit to the insurance company, I got my approval the next morning and my surgery date was scheduled for 2 weeks later!

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Go To Topic Listing PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

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    • LeighaTR

      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!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      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

        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

      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

        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

      CaseyP1011

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

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