I am supposed to be banded on the 10th of November. My insurance still hasn't said whether I am approved or not (and I will not get it if not approved). We submitted everything and they wanted one day of the dr office's notes changed to a different format. Does that mean it is likely?

The surgeon's office won't change the date because then they have to resubmit some of the info. I need to set up childcare for that data and, get this, tell my husband. I didn't want to tell him unless I was approved. He probably wouldn't care and will help me (and probably take the day off). My best friend will come for 2 days if I need it (she is in another city but kept those days off). I am doing the liquid diet but still eating a meal here and there (all high Protein, low carb, low fat). On the upside I have lost almost 10 pounds but I feel so odd now.

Im guessing that if they already made your date they are pretty sure the insurance will say yes. Remember they deal with the same insurances daily and know exactly what makes them say yes. I was in the same situation as you. My date was 10/22 and i didnt find out til 5 days before. When the insurance said yes the office even moved up my surgery a day (which actualy worked better) and just a little advice i told my boyfriend not to take off the surgery day just to come after work and to take off the next day. That was a really smart move because i needed him the first day home and turned out i needed him the second too! Goodluck!!!!!

Have you started harassing your insurance? Your story sounds similar to mine. We submitted in mid-Sept, and finally heard back that I needed more tests done on Oct 3rd, got those done, and resubmitted Oct 14th. She didn't give me an answer until the 17th, though. I was banded the 29th. There is hope for you! Here is my timeline:

August

15th- referral appt with Dr. Currie

20th- required attendance with craptastic "support" group. It was awful.

27th- met with nutritionist

September

3rd- appointment with Dr Currie

8th- picked up paperwork and submitted to insurance

(insert calls every day beginning September 15th asking for an answer)

October

3rd- finally speak with head nurse, informs me that I need more labs, a chest x-ray, an EKG, and a psych clearance

6th- labs, chest x-ray, and EKG (also showed pretty much everyone at clinic my boobs thanks to stupid techs)

8th- useless psych consult. He could have cared less what I said, he just wanted the insurance money

10th- picked up and delivered paperwork to Dr. Currie

14th- resubmitted to insurance; also pre-op bloodwork

16th- lost my patience around 3pm, called and left a voice mail with head nurse saying that I did all my parts in a timely manner and by god, they could, too (immediately regretted angry voice mail)

17th- 9am APPROVED (no longer regretted angry voice mail)

20th- pre-op physical

21st- post-op nutritionist

29th- SURGERY

I will call again. It is annoying because they always say "oh, you were denied on the 21st. True but then more paper work was submitted, and again on the 27th, and so on until the 30th when they decided they needed the final dr visit notes in a different format. I guess I will call them again.