Howdy! I'm halfway finished with my dietician stuff and the further I get into the process (which has gone great so far - knock on wood), I still get this nagging feeling that something is going to happen to derail forward progress and result in a delay in getting approved (irrational, yes I know). My insurance company is great, their requirements are little to nothing, I have no weight loss requirements, only dietician visit stuff. I'm not worried about the administrative side, per se. Mainly I'm talking about health-related stuff that could crop up unexpectedly and cause a delay in this post-op process. Has anyone out there had something come up unexpectedly that messed up your post-op progress?

Edited February 6, 20197 yr by ???????

My doctor does not schedule the surgery until you have completed all requirements and I’m not sure about the insurance because I had approval already and after all requirements a NP reviews everything. Then I think they schedule the surgery. I’m between finished appointments and NP review now. This is the hardest wait time for me. I’m ready for a date so I can get mentally prepared and start a countdown

I was so happy when wls clinic called sayed all approved.

17 minutes ago, 49Nash said:

My doctor does not schedule the surgery until you have completed all requirements and I’m not sure about the insurance because I had approval already and after all requirements a NP reviews everything. Then I think they schedule the surgery. I’m between finished appointments and NP review now. This is the hardest wait time for me. I’m ready for a date so I can get mentally prepared and start a countdown

My NP has scheduled me already and I have all my clearances except one that hasn't been sent over yet. He verbally cleared me but hasn't done it in writing. I have my last nutrition on Monday then it gets sent next week to insurance. My preop appointment is 2/20 so I'm hoping there are no issues and it all gets approved really quickly. According to my insurance company when I called I shouldn't have any issues. Fingers crossed. Surgery is 34 days from today as long as everything goes according to the dr's office's schedule. I need it done as soon as possible. My work insurance year end is 4/30 and I am at max out of pocket. If there are any issues after surgery, I'd like it 100% covered rather than starting the new deductible. I pay max out of pocket of $2100 per year. Luckily work covers all but 1000 of my deductible. I cover that and then another 1000. This is the first year I've had to pay anything but that was because I had a female surgery in October.

Good luck!!

So, I'm still waiting on my surgery date. Had all auths ready, but they had me down for the gastric sleeve. I let them know I wanted gastric bypass, and now I'm waiting for insurance auth again.

I had to have 90 days with a nutritionist before my insurance would approve and then I had to have my family doctor recommend I had the surgery. In addition, the surgeon required a psych appointment along with 3 group counseling sessions - all standard for sleeve patients. Once everything was completed - and only then - would they submit to insurance. Insurance came back less than a week later with approval and then the surgery was scheduled. I had no surprises - everything was well mapped out and went as planned. Good luck with your insurance and surgery. Btw - I started the process on 8/30/18 and had my surgery on 1/10/19.

Freaking out... everything was done, classes, endoscopy, approvals and surgery date is/was 2/20 and JUST found out I don’t have the same insurance that I thought I had. Unitedheathcare is no longer covering federal employees in CA apparently. So frustrated, I have no idea if they transferred our insurance to another company or if we have anything at all at this point, will know tomorrow hopefully and praying I don’t have to start from scratch and that my health group I’ve been doing all this through is even in my network. I want to cry! Ugh hopefully will have an answer tomorrow ???

1 minute ago, JLondon11 said:

Freaking out... everything was done, classes, endoscopy, approvals and surgery date is/was 2/20 and JUST found out I don’t have the same insurance that I thought I had. Unitedheathcare is no longer covering federal employees in CA apparently. So frustrated, I have no idea if they transferred our insurance to another company or if we have anything at all at this point, will know tomorrow hopefully and praying I don’t have to start from scratch and that my health group I’ve been doing all this through is even in my network. I want to cry! Ugh hopefully will have an answer tomorrow ???

That is horrible!!! I am so sorry. I hope it’s a quick transition and no or little delay!!!

My doctor does not schedule the surgery until you have completed all requirements and I’m not sure about the insurance because I had approval already and after all requirements a NP reviews everything. Then I think they schedule the surgery. I’m between finished appointments and NP review now. This is the hardest wait time for me. I’m ready for a date so I can get mentally prepared and start a countdown

I know exactly how you feel!!!! I have been waiting over a week now to hear from the nurse to get a surgery date! Everything was approved by insurance on 1/28. Its kind of frustrating when another day goes by with no call. I hope you get your call soon!!!

My surgeon is an uber-busy dude, I got My surgery date on July 17th for September 5th, so had to wait about 6 weeks, if yours is like that I would say yours will be 1st- 15th of March, my most fearless prediction is March 12thmaIn my surgeon's case, he also does gastrointestinal surgery, a full professor at the Medical C9llege and I also hit vacation times, so yours might still make this month, I just doubt it. But no matter when ,we will be cheering you on, you're now one of the B.P. family and we're loyal to our own.???

A kidney stone that is 3cm x 2cmx 1.5cm. I feel no pain and didn't even know it was there until I had to get a CT scan after my ultrasound dinged something funny.

My delay was caused by many blood clots in both lungs. I ended up in the ER than admitted in the hospital exactly 3 weeks before my surgery. I spent 4 full days in the hospital, then when they released me it took about 24 hours to find out I was allergic to the blood thinner they gave me an hour before leaving the hospital. As an inpatient I was on a 24/7 IV heparin drip, no problem. I was switched 2 different times to different medication. They finally decided to put me on warfarin. September 2018 was when this all began. I had to see a hematologist, to make sure the blood clots were not from an underlying clotting disorder. All those test came back negative. What was finally decided was that the birth control my ob/gym put me on 42 days before this happened caused all the clots. I can not have any type of estrogen ever again.
Everything is on track. My hematologists cleared me for surgery. I am on day 11 of my 14 day liquid pre-op diet. I have lost 110 lbs from March 2018 until my last weigh in on 2/7/19. I have lost a total of 154 lbs from May 2017 I am ready for this and can’t wait to get this transformation started on 2/12.

13 hours ago, wreckitangie said:

I know exactly how you feel!!!! I have been waiting over a week now to hear from the nurse to get a surgery date! Everything was approved by insurance on 1/28. Its kind of frustrating when another day goes by with no call. I hope you get your call soon!!!

Did you hear anything yet? I am in the same boat. Insurance is approved and I did all the requirements. Just need to wait that final step of them reviewing everything. I was told my doctor schedules about 6 weeks after everything is approved. So I’m thinking beginning of April. At least I hope so. I would do it sooner in a heartbeat though!!!

Did you hear anything yet? I am in the same boat. Insurance is approved and I did all the requirements. Just need to wait that final step of them reviewing everything. I was told my doctor schedules about 6 weeks after everything is approved. So I’m thinking beginning of April. At least I hope so. I would do it sooner in a heartbeat though!!!

I still have not gotten a call! I emailed the patient coordinator at my surgeons office earlier today and she apologized that I hadn't heard anything yet and that she was emailing the girl who schedules and her manager. That was at about 10am this morning... ugh.

5 minutes ago, wreckitangie said:

I still have not gotten a call! I emailed the patient coordinator at my surgeons office earlier today and she apologized that I hadn't heard anything yet and that she was emailing the girl who schedules and her manager. That was at about 10am this morning... ugh.

It will be a long weekend. I hope you hear Monday!

I remember they found a ton of ulcers when they did the endoscopy. It was a complete surprise to me. That set things back until they were treated.

Once I was cleared, I then learned my surgeon was going away the day after my surgery and he wanted to reschedule. I was very upset and cried on the phone. Several phone calls later, I was able to convince him I was fine with his partner doing the postop work (especially since both were actually going to be in the operating theater).

When in doubt; ?, lol