I am just about to lose it!!

I spoke to the surgeon's office and she is saying there is no way I am already approved. They have no submitted anything, yet UHC is saying it is approved. What is going on? I am so lost as to what to do next. No one can give me a straight answer. I'm just moving along with all the other stuff (pysch evaluation next week and support group tonight), but I am just so frustrated. I still don't know for sure if I have to do a 6 month diet before surgery, so everyday I go without knowing is another day added to my wait if I have to do it...No one can give me closure on this!

Did you get a letter from the ins company saying you are approved or you spoke to someone. Maybe they meant that the surgery is covered if you are approved. I would think that the doctor would know if they submitted your records. Call your insurance company again and ask what policy do they have to approve the surgery. The code for Lap Gastric Banding: 43770. Let them look up the policy and they might direct you to a website or a document with their policy.

Good Luck

I have UHC as well. I was told by UHC that lapband surgery was covered and I received a letter saying it was a covered procedure, but that didn't mean I'd been approved. It's a cluster, for sure. Keep the faith - it will happen!

I thought it was odd in your post yesterday that they told you that they had already approved you and scheduled the surgery...I don't know of any insurance company that does it that way. And now you find out that the surgeon hasn't even submitted it yet???:eek: Sounds like maybe the person you talked to is clueless. Have them submit all of the information, give it a week then call the insurance company for a follow-up. I'll keep my fingers crossed

Good luck and keep us posted.

yeah i know what u mean I thought I was all set now I find I have to have 3 months worth of doctors visits talking about my weight be for the insurance company will cover it I have lost 25 pounds waiting for this band I am about ready to lose it, healthy1

I got the call Monday 6/14 from surgeon that I was approved and would be schedule later that day. Didn't receive a call, so I called Tuesday 6/15 and was told I had to wait to be scheduled because I am PENDING. What? So I call Anthem Blue Cross of CA and find out that while I was approved Monday my surgeons office resubmitted authorizion making the following changes:

Hospital instead of the original clinic

In-patient instead of original out-

patient

and different surgeon (my surgeon no

longer works there) other surgeon in

the office is taking over

While I am okay with the changes I am upset that I didn't ask for them and that the insurance com. informed me of them instead of my surgeons office. They stated it was to help with my out of pocket cost because their clinic is out of network and the hospiatl is in-network.:smilielol5:

Anthem states they will have an answer by Monday 6/21 and since it was approved the first time they see no reason why it won't be approved.

Monday is not coming fast enough for me.:thumbup:

I hope you get/got some good news today! :thumbup: