My Doctor Has Submitted My Paperwork To Insurance

[DesertGal]

Now, I wait. I saw the surgeon this morning and he said they submitted everything to insurance last Friday. He told me I should check in with the insurance people often to see where they are at. I told him that I AM IN CONTACT with them, because his office gal who does the insurance had me so confused a week back (as I have talked about on here), and the insurance reps have been very accommodating to my questions. I think I understand now what her issues were, and it was nothing to do with me having Medicare Part A.
I have an echo-cardiogram scheduled for next week and then I was told today that I have to attend a 2 1/2 hour meeting where I bring my 'support' along (husband) the following week. There, I go over signing and consents, financials, watch a video, sit in a group meeting and have a L-O-N-G meeting with one of the staff. I'm really getting worn out.

[Christie13]

Just a little more!! You are almost there! And then your real journey will begin!

[Luna354]

You're in the home stretch now! Eye on the prize!

[Bagawk!]

All worth it young padawan.

[Pattimelt]

Now, I wait. I saw the surgeon this morning and he said they submitted everything to insurance last Friday. He told me I should check in with the insurance people often to see where they are at. I told him that I AM IN CONTACT with them, because his office gal who does the insurance had me so confused a week back (as I have talked about on here), and the insurance reps have been very accommodating to my questions. I think I understand now what her issues were, and it was nothing to do with me having Medicare Part A.
I have an echo-cardiogram scheduled for next week and then I was told today that I have to attend a 2 1/2 hour meeting where I bring my 'support' along (husband) the following week. There, I go over signing and consents, financials, watch a video, sit in a group meeting and have a L-O-N-G meeting with one of the staff. I'm really getting worn out.

Wow! That's a lot of crap to go through to get the sleeve! The insurance company wouldn't make you go through any of that if you were having a different surgery. You'd think they'd be glad the surgery will help prevent diabetes and other comorbidities you could contract being overweight. Insurance - go figure!

I'm so happy for you Lori. Your requirements are finally coming to an end! I'll bet you are glad. When do you find out your surgery date? Soon, I hope. Let us know!

[Christie13]

Unfortunately any WLS is considered an "elective" surgery even though to qualify for it with insurance you have to go through all sorts of hoops. A lot of insurance does not even cover it. Fortunately mine did. I think some of the hoops are because they want you to take the procedure seriously. But yeah, it is literally life saving and insurance asks like we are wanting botox. All the long term benefits to our lowered health care costs should account for something as well.

[DesertGal]

As soon as I get the call that the insurance is approved, I'm sure they'll set the date. He asked me again today, "when the insurance is approved, when were you thinking of doing it?" I told him as soon as possible because I want to do it before it gets HOT here. I plan on walking, walking, walking and I'm not going to do it outdoors when the southwest desert heat hits!

[DesertGal]

And all the hullabaloo about problems with my insurance and the Medicare part A? All has to do with money. The doctor tried to clarify to me what the problem was, when I said his insurance gal was saying she didn't know "how it was going to work", while I had no idea what she was referring to. He said to me that you have no secondary insurance so "you will have to pay something", and I guess the "something" is paying him for his fees. Before the surgery.

[Pattimelt]

As soon as I get the call that the insurance is approved, I'm sure they'll set the date. He asked me again today, "when the insurance is approved, when were you thinking of doing it?" I told him as soon as possible because I want to do it before it gets HOT here. I plan on walking, walking, walking and I'm not going to do it outdoors when the southwest desert heat hits!

I know what you mean, Lori. Those 110 - 115 degree days I just can't go outside either! I'm sure hoping I can sell my UTV in time to have my surgery on my scheduled date of April 19. I want to be my on my way to being healed before the real heat starts. Luckily, I have a treadmill, but that gets Hella boring!

[ghost_ryder]

But its a dry heat. LOL.

I seriously thought people were full of it saying these silly things. Until I landed in Vegas for a Rush concert years ago. My friend picked me up at the airport at midnight and it was 104 degrees. I thought a great way to relax at the end of the trip would be to get a couple minutes in his pool. He said you will be freezing when you get out. I laughed, it is 104 degrees. I got out shivering.

[DesertGal]

It's true! When I go in the pool at night and it's still 104, 105 degrees I have my beach towel handy because it feels so cool outside. But on 110+ degree days- daytime, especially if there's a breeze- no need for a towel. It's like sitting in a convection oven!

[Katrina]

1st. There's no way in hell I could have jumped through all those hoops. Seeing what all some of you have had to go through tells me I should go hug my parents and thank them again and again for giving me the money for surgery free and clear. How fortunate I was!

2nd. Bullshit on that dry heat nonsense! I'd heard that my whole life. I'm from Alabama. For my first trip to Vegas in August a few years ago everyone kept telling me it would be fine, "it's a dry heat." BULLSHIT! I almost died when I walked out of the airport. It's still hotter than the devil's balls. And my in laws refuse to use air conditioning. I hated everyone for the solid week I was there.

[Bagawk!]

Weight loss centers deal with authorizations and commercial payers so much and so often that they pretty much know what will get approved,... at least in respect to Medicare and commercial payers. The smaller mom & pop payers that no one ever heard of not so much.