I have wanted to get lap band for a long time. I called my insurance which is BCBS of California. Someone asked ma many questions and then said that a health advocate nurse will be calling me next week. What does the Health Advocate Nurse supposed to do? Is there any way to speed up the process for the lap band, besides self pay?

Beats me. I've never heard of that, some title with BCBS I'd guess. Call and ask them what it means!

I have BC/BS and have been working with a health advocate nurse. She is supposed to help you get all your ducks in a row before the info goes to the company for approval. It has been a long slow process. I went to my first seminar in October last year, found out I could not start the process until January. In Jan I started working with her and found out the surgeon I chose did not go to the right hospital so I had to find a surgeon that met all the requirements. She walked me through everything necessary to get approved. I finally have jumped through all the hoops and am seeing my surgeon this week. His nurse said I should be approved and scheduled for surgery within 3 weeks. What I learned is you can't rush the process. Just work with them and you will eventually get there.

Debra

I have united health and they set me up with a nurse advocate, she was awesome. She told me all the requirements and called me monthly to check in on my progress on getting all my required appointments, and correct documentation. Everything went through her and not the insurance coordinators from the bariatric center. So after I went to my last appointment on a Friday at 4pm my doctor faxed her all the info and she had called me at 5pm to tell me that I was short 2 of my 6 required doctors visits and when I reminded her that she told me that the 6 visits did not have to be consecutive as long as they were all in a 2 yr period she put me on hold for one minute came back on the line and said "you're right and I just approved it"

Also she has called me once a month to ask follow up questions.