Ok, I have gone to the seminar, I have quit smoking, I have had a sleep study (sever apenea 108 events/hr) and now I'm on a cpap, I have just went through and got my psych review, and I have an appoint with my doc to get his approval. He's the one I worry about the most. He's 45, looks like he's 25, and he's an marathon runner. He believes in all natural everything. I would hate to have come this far and get shot down by him. I should go to some rent a quack and just get it done, but he's been my doc for some time, and I do like him, and want to keep him. Anyway, keep me fingers crossed. Has anyone ever heard of their doctor turning them down, or not writing a letter of approval?

I'm not totally sure that your primary care doc needs to refer you for surgery; It's possible that you need more than just the surgeon to approve for insurance's sake, but I don't know. In any case, if your dr. is a nice guy, and you make your case forcefully, he'd be a total boob to refuse you. My dr. is really naturopathic etc. but even he said he'd go along with it (while quietly hoping I would change my mind). I had already decided to have my endocrinologist as the main referral because he's more on board, so if you have any other dr. that you think would be more sympathetic, I'd use them. Worst case, go to a different dr!

I'm not totally sure that your primary care doc needs to refer you for surgery; It's possible that you need more than just the surgeon to approve for insurance's sake, but I don't know. In any case, if your dr. is a nice guy, and you make your case forcefully, he'd be a total boob to refuse you. My dr. is really naturopathic etc. but even he said he'd go along with it (while quietly hoping I would change my mind). I had already decided to have my endocrinologist as the main referral because he's more on board, so if you have any other dr. that you think would be more sympathetic, I'd use them. Worst case, go to a different dr!

Actually, my insurance is not a problem. It's the surgeon that requires the sleep study, the pshyc eval, and my personal docs ok. Only thing my insurance requires is that you have a bmi over 40, or over 35 and a weight related health issue. Then it's 90/10 up to 1000.00 then 100% after that.