Hey everyone.

I am getting so anxious and frustrated here. I know things don't happen overnight and I know how the medical system works (I'm a nurse), but this seems borderline ridiculous.

I started the process for the lapband in December. The timeline has gone something like this:

Early December: Initial appt. with PCP to ask for referral.

Mid December: Referral approved, called surgeon to make appt. Was told I had to attend WLS seminar before I could make an appt.

Jan 15th: Attended seminar. Nurse at seminar told us we could call the very next day for our initial appointment.

Jan 16th: Called for appt. Was told I had to submit 20-page "application packet" before I could get an appt.

Mailed in packet within a week. They received packet and gave it to the nurses for "review".

Called SEVERAL times to check status of packet beginning late January.

FINALLY was told last week that the nurse had my packet and should be contacting me for an appointment.

Received letter on Saturday that I was missing one page from my packet, and that if I don't turn it in within 10 days my file will be placed in "inactive status" and after 30 days they will throw my packet away :eek::thumbup:

MIND YOU...all of this is for an appointment with the NUTRITIONIST, NURSE, and MENTAL HEALTH EVAL which they make you do before you can even MAKE an appt. with the SURGEON!!!!!!!

I also have to pay a $300 "registration fee" which is not covered by insurance and which I have to pay regardless if my insurance even APPROVES the surgery or not.

Is this normal? Are the similar experiences out there where it has taken this long and this many hoops JUST to see the surgeon????

It seems like people just call the clinic and get the appointment, and before long are waiting for their approval from insurance. At this rate I won't even get to see the surgeon until...???

I'm just frustrated. We are military and scheduled to PCS to Hawaii in April, which I very clearly stated to the clinic on several occasions...not to push my application ahead or anything, but to get an idea if this WLS is even a possibility on my limited time left here.

I need commiseration...is this really the way it goes?

Thats great advise. I am calling my insurance tomorow just to check. I've never gone over my initial start day, just maybe a few days before.

But I will make sure my last appointment is an the day I started, infact I'm going to try to book all the remaining appointments now. Thanks for your replay and support!

Thanks Kat!!! You are so supportive!!!

CALL YOUR INSURANCE TODAY!

I made sure my appointments were 25-30 days apart because I have heard many horror stories. Some insurance companies are so picky they will make you start over if you don't go every month like clock work! It seems so stupid but I really think the only reason they make you do the supervised diet is to try to frustrate and discourage people from pursuing insurance coverage. I mean really, what is one more diet going to do for us?!?

See Kat's comments above - she was off by 4 days and they made her start over.

Good luck!

You are correct... Insurance companies count on you getting frustrated and giving up. They know that the majority of people won't do all the hoops required. A colleague of mine was a nurse for an insurance company and has given me a small inside picture of their SOP.

As for a fee to attend a seminar, sounds a little unethical to me IMHO. I guess I am just fortunate that I am using a very good, very efficient Center of Excellence. Seminar in November, surgery next week.

My journey started in Oct. 13, 06 and finally ended with surgery

June 20, 2007 if this is any consulation! 9 1/2 mo.!

Have patience, in talking with my insurance the lady on the other end told me it was so detailed and lengthy to week out the ones who aren't "really serious" about losing the wgt.

Hang in there! Follow the directions to a T. Make copies, document all phone calls with dr. offices, insurance companies, etc!

Good luck!

Thanks for the support!

I guess all I needed was to whine and moan a bit...nurse called me today and I now have my very first appointment scheduled for next Monday. It's just the nutritionist and psych eval, but dang it...it's a start!

As far as the $300 goes...I think it's a bit much to pay if you later find out your insurance won't cover you for some reason. Supposedly it is for all the consults (pulm, cadio, psych, etc). They are a Center of Excellence, guess they just do it a little differently. At this point, I would hand over my cat if it meant LBS was in my near future lol.

I can't take off from work until the Fall so I'm actually okay with it taking so long. I'm a bit worried that if I start now, my insurance will be one of those with only a 3 month diet requirement. :scared2:

But I'm glad I read here first. Otherwise, I would have waited until Summer to try to sign up and then been hit with the 6 month requirement and that would have SUCKED.