Ok so I am trying my best not to just freak out and run around in circles screaming with excitement. This will probably be a very long post as I want to get it off my chest :ohmy:

I started checking into LB about 2 years ago. I knew my insurance wouldn't pay so I was like crud and I thought I can do this myself sheesh how hard could it be to lose 100 pounds! haha

I lost 52 pounds and then thought I could take on the world! I then quit smoking and decided that eating was more fun than the cig addiction and proceeded to pack on the 52 pounds again! Then my company switched insurance to BCBS of Minnesota... This is the best thing that happened to me. We switched in Sept of 07 and by 10/07 I was scheduling 6 appts for the nutrition counselor, attending seminars, and meeting with the surgeon.

I was well informed ahead of time before switching insurance so I was on the ball the minute we switched. I cannot thank my company enough for changing.

I submitted for pre auth on 4/3 and within a day and a 1/2 I was given authorization and a surgery date!

I will be banded on 4/23 now I have a BMI of 44 with no comorbities. I will be banding at Sacred Heart Bariatric Center Eugene, Oregon by Dr. Umbach. Thankfully no preop diet since i lost more than 10 pounds.

Edited April 7, 200818 yr by Brandy~

That's awesome..Good luck to you!! Keep us posted!

I do. Well, technically we have their national plan but it is all administered the same. I was approved either the day my information was submitted or the day after. I'm not sure what day the surgeon's office actually sent it in. A nurse manager called me on the afternoon of Jan. 30th and approved me over the phone that day.

Thank you for your response. I will call on Thursday to check.

I am just getting started with the whole process. I am going to a seminar Thursday. What all do you have to do to qualify? And what steps do you go thru before being approved for the surgery(besides the 6 months with a dietitian)? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

It all depends on your surgeons requirements, if you're self pay, if you have insurance, your weight, your comorbities... Theres just not a set guideline really... The best thing to do is if you have insurancec call them ahead of time and have them fax you the part of your policy that talks about the bariatric surgery coverage so when you fill out the surgeons paperwork you have that info to get a head start.

I got my approval today. I am scheduled for May 22. My paperwork was sent on Thursday and it was approved on Friday!!!!

I got my approval today. I am scheduled for May 22. My paperwork was sent on Thursday and it was approved on Friday!!!!

Awesome! Congrats... Boy do I know how it feels to finally have a date :rolleyes2:

Congrats! I know the feeling of excitement to begin anew! BCBS would not pay for me, so I'm having mine 4/19 in Mexico. I feel very good about the facility and surgeon - as you did I have done a ton of research. Good luck and keep posting as you proceed.

I GOT MY RESPONSE WITH IN HOURS!!! I WAS IN A STORE WITH MY FRIEND AND I WAS JUMPING UP AND DOWN LIKE A LITTLE KID. I AM SO EXCITED THAT AFTER PONDERING THE IDEA OF SURGERY THAT IT WAS SO QUICK AFTER I MADE MY FIRST APPOINTMENT TO FIND OUT I WAS APPROVED BY BCBS.. YEHA YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!

CONGRATS!!!!! How long was the process of getting approved---I mean from day one-did you have to do the six months with a dietitian and the sleep study?

i have done the dietitian thing with my doctor i have been trying to medically lose the weight on my own with out surgery but with no sucess on keeping anything off. i have yet to do the pysch or blood work and i still need to see my doctors dietitian to start the two week pre opt diet. no sleep study and it took 4days from my first apt. but once the doctor approved my apt and sent it to insurance they immediatly can back with an approval. which i was really shocked i thought that they would denie it and we would have to argue but nope nothing.

Edited April 16, 200818 yr by carifowler

i have done the dietitian thing with my doctor i have been trying to medically lose the weight on my own with out surgery but with no sucess on keeping anything off. i have yet to do the pysch or blood work and i still need to see my doctors dietitian to start the two week pre opt diet. no sleep study and it took 4days from my first apt. but once the doctor approved my apt and sent it to insurance they immediatly can back with an approval. which i was really shocked i thought that they would denie it and we would have to argue but nope nothing.

Awesome congrats :crying: I was really worried that I would end up being denied after doing all the requirements and then have to appeal but nope was good to go first try :crying:

good luck!

Hi! I am new to the process and I also have BCBS MN and I was wondering what steps you took to be approved. I talked to the ins co today and they do cover the surgery but I have to meet certain criteria-BMI over 40(mine is 43). 6 months of being on a medically supervised diet-is this through my primary? I saw you mentioned scheduling your six appts to the dietician. Please help. I dont even know where to start. Congratulations on your approval and thanks in advance.

Hi! I am new to the process and I also have BCBS MN and I was wondering what steps you took to be approved. I talked to the ins co today and they do cover the surgery but I have to meet certain criteria-BMI over 40(mine is 43). 6 months of being on a medically supervised diet-is this through my primary? I saw you mentioned scheduling your six appts to the dietician. Please help. I dont even know where to start. Congratulations on your approval and thanks in advance.

I have studied their pages for bariatric surgery in and out and talked to them a million times to make sure I was doing it right. It is 'medically supervised' That means and they list the surgeon, the dietitian, or you PC. So as long as you're seeing 1 of those 1x per month and never miss a visit you're fine. But they have to make notes in your account so you can always call and ask the question.. you can ask them to document the conversation too.

The only catch is they have to weigh you in do vitals and document your weight then they must discuss nutrition with you... thats it :rolleyes2:

I chose a dietitian cause ... I had seen her in the past and liked her.

Thanks for the info! And, one more question since you know the ins and outs of BCBS MN. A friend of mine told me that the psych eval is not covered. Is that true? My friend told me that I should go see the surgeon first because they have people that can guide me in the right direction and tell me what I need to do.

mine is bcbs of la and i have 600.oo of fees that go to the dr for the nutitionist fee? i dont know about the psyc fee does any one else?