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United or Cigna?



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Hi, I'm the new kid on the block. I am trying to work up the nerve to have the surgery...I was already commiting myself to it but after reading some of these threads I have to admit it's scaring me a bit!

We are in the process of benefits enrollment at work - I can pick United Healthcare or Cigna HMO. Which one is more likely to approve for Lap Band Surgery...if I decide to go through with it?

Sue

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I have United Healthcare and was approved without a hitch. I've seen many United approvals on this board.

I would ask HR for contact numbers for both companies so that you can call and ask them. Every policy is different.

As far as being scared, in my opinion that's a good thing. It's important to go into this with your eyes open because there can be complications. I'd be scared before ANY surgery, no matter how minor. Research as much as you can about the band. You're in a great place to start! :(

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I have united health care...at the seminar when everyone was going up afterwards with the insurance card to see how easy are hard their company was, the lady looked at mine and said...Oh good insurance. LOL And I was approved within a week of the doc sending in the request.

Melissa

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I too have UHC, and was approved in about 10 days, very easy to work with and I have yet to receive one bill from 8/25/05

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I have had both. I'd choose United. Cigna HMO is a real headache, however, they did cover my second band surgery, because I was on the PPO with my first and had changed to HMO when I needed a second.

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i had cigna they want a 6 month supervised diet so i switched over to united health care . approved in 5 days the band cost me 15 dollars my co payment.

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I had UH and they are awesome took a couple of weeks after dr sent papers. They pay quick and pay for fills!!!!! I just have to make sure all providers are in network

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i was petrified even when i saw surgeon i kept telling myself i could back out any time i wanted, right up to going under i kept that thought,but at 53 and being big all my life i just felt i wanted to spend the rest of my life like thinner people plus i want to travel the world and can't do that properly from a coach window, because my knee's are to sore to hold me up, keep thinking of all the positive's they far outweigh [ no pun meant] any nerve's we get

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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