Hello Everyone

My name is Tonya. I am not a bander yet but the way things look, I am seriously considering becoming one.

My current weight is 320 lbs. My height is 5'3 and I am 38 years old. My BMI is 56.7

I live in Illinois with my son and my fiancee

I would like to meet other people who have gone through the LB process.

I am on Public Aid so I know my choices are limited. I heard about Mercy Hospital in Chicago and I will be attending their seminar in May. Has anyone else done their LB through Mercy? If you are on public aid, could you please tell me what kind of approval process you had to go through and how long does it take with Public Aid?

I really appreciate any comments, thank you

Edited February 10, 200917 yr by tbanks

Tonya I PM'd you.

hi.. i am in the same boat! I have my seminar at Mercy in March, which I am looking forward to, and am also on Public Aid and need some tips on what I need to go through... help!!

Im in the begining stages of the process. As for tips I can tell you to show up to the seminar early if you can because they give you a numbered ticket when you arrive and after the seminar, when they set your surgeons apointment the tickets are the order they will go in.

Example: Ticket #1 may get an appointment for the following day.

Ticket #35 may get an appointment for the following month.

Get there early!

Also make sure that you don't have an HMO on your Medicaid card, like Family Health Network or Harmony. If you do, call the 1-800 number to get it removed and it will be taken off by the next months cycle. Your card should be Illinois Health Connect. This won't be a problem for the seminar, but it will be a problem for the surgeons appointment.

After the Seminar, I was scheduled for a surgeons appointment three weeks later (I wasn' early). At the surgeons appointment I first meet with the dietician who talked to me about my current eating habits and future eating habits.

Next I was registered in by a clerk, weighed in by the medical tech and then I meet with the surgeon, who went over the same things from the seminar.

After that, I was sent for test. I had an EKG or EEG (I forget which one), x-rays and blood work.

The next day, I returned to the hospital for my psych appointment and next week I go back for the medical doc appointment.

At the end of the month I will begin my weekly group meetings which are a total of 4 in all.

I'm tentatively scheduled for surgery in April.

Hope That Helps.

Thanks for the info! that was all really helpful. I have IL health connect so thats a plus... also, how easy was it for you to get approved? did you have any pre-existing medical conditions? sorry i have so many questions, lol.

No problem. No I have no comorbities. I made weight (barely)! What is your weight, height and BMI?

i am 5'7 and 286; my bmi is 44.5. my bp and cholesterol are fine, but i was recently diagnosed with PCOS and take metformin. i meet the criteria for surgery, but im worried that my public aid wont cover it, lol, though i think thats just paranoia.

It will cover it. A large percentage of their patients are Medicaid. Don't be nervous and don't go in there with a defeated attitude. Go in there with a plan to get healthy.

Your BMI has put you in the position to get the surgery already, now you just have to be healthy enough to withstand the surgery. Also, you can't be crazy, so relax at the psych appointment (smile).

Edited February 15, 200917 yr by Kimber7

thanks for the tips. i have a good attitude about it, but a friend of mine in another state went through the process only to be told by her state's medicaid that she had to wait 2.5 years for the actual surgery, so it made me nervous. im looking forward to taking these steps though, i am so ready to be healthy!

Oh, I see. Maybe this will help...

While waiting for the surgeon, I was talking to a woman who has insurance on her job. She told me that she had to go through a six month diet program before her insurance company would pay for her surgery and thought that I was lucky to have medicaid which would pay for it right away.

My theory is this, Illinois Medicaid (specificly Illinois Health Connect) choses to pick up the surgery now to save money in the long run on obesity related ailments. Whereas private insurance (like HMO's) just hates to pay out period. People have been known to fight with private insurance company's from their death beds. Even President Obama's mom experienced this misfortune while suffering from cancer. It's sad.

Your friends state Medicaid may be similar to an HMO like our Illinois Family Health Network or Harmony. These plans are apart of Illinois Medicaid but have retrictions like many private insurances.

Edited February 16, 200917 yr by Kimber7
Kimber

ahh.. i see. that totally makes sense. :blushing: thank you so much for your help!

Can you tell me how to start the process in Illinois with medicaid...I would jump through any hoop to get it done!

to get the ball rolling in IL for medicaid, call Mercy’s LAP-BAND Program at 312.567.BAND(2263).

they will set you up for a seminar. that is the first step. at the seminar, they will explain what to do from there.:smile2:

You dont have to jump through hoops. Smile. Just call Mercy and do what they ask of you. It's not hard at all. They take care of everything.

Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago now offers lap banding to public aid patients (IDPA). They have a comprehensive program and a short wait list.

773-257-2020.