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BCBSIL anyone? How long to approve?



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Usually the class meets once a month... you weight in and then go about the class.. you come back a month later and weigh in again... it's about 5 classes for sure because the last month you meet up with your Dr. And discuss how the classes went and to see any of your weight progress... they are only an insight to the whole journey after the classes do your homework.. get your stuff in order create a routine and stick with it because aftervtje surgery it's a lifestyle adterwards..

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I didnt have any set number of visits. Went to the info seminar, consult with surgeon, bariatric nurse, nutritionist, 2 3 hour classes, upper GI, phsyc consult and now that insurance is approved just need a date, some pre-OP tests and meet the surgeon again. All told, 2-3 months assuming I get a June date. Started process in March.

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BCBSIL Approved in 3 weeks. However they approved on 4/5 but then my surgeon's office was so backed up I didn't get a surgery date until 5/2. Surgery is 6/3. I did my seminar 1/30 and had my initial consult 2/15 so the whole process will be about 4 months total.

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That's what I worry about. How soon my surgeon will be available, I hope it won't be too long. I'm not too good with waiting and I'm super anxious to move forward and I'm soooo close.

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I called BCBSIL yesterday to check. I was told that the policy changed in Feb 2019. They no longer have a requirement for a set number of visits. They will leave the number of visits for your doctor to decide when you're ready for surgery. The insurance coordinator for my surgeon's office will submit on the day of my last visit, June 3.

They have given me date of pre-op class and two tentative surgery dates- one in June and one in July. Surgery depends on when they receive an approval from insurance.

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It's so crazy, there are so many people that get a surgery date before their insurance gets approved... what's up with my docs office. Geez they want all the other stuff first. Just want to plan damn it [emoji36]... I'm ok, just had to vent that out. So frustrated.

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It's so crazy, there are so many people that get a surgery date before their insurance gets approved... what's up with my docs office. Geez they want all the other stuff first. Just want to plan damn it [emoji36]... I'm ok, just had to vent that out. So frustrated.

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It seems that the doctor wants to help you out in getting in an ealry date because .. they already know how long it takes to get the approval... Imagine if they didn't schedule till you got approved... 1 to 3 weeks for the approval.. then to see if the Dr is available for surgery.. now you have to wait 2 to 3 months for him to be available.... I got scheduled the day after my insurance said ok but that's because my insurance approved 3 days later.. I choose 8-2-19 because I wanna enjoy summer with out restrictions and I don't wanna get too dehydrated during the hottest June/July months of the year..Goodluck and stay positive

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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.
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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. 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.

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

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