Dr. Juarez's requirements for surgery

I already qualify with my insurance for this surgery, I've done the psych eval, gone to the seminar, have a reference, diet history, etc. and will now see Dr. Juarez. What is the normal (if that is an actual word here) time between seeing doctor Juarez and surgery? Do any of you have any idea what HIS actual requirements are for this surgery, does he have any? If I'm pre-qualified from the insurance does he automatically qualify me?

I wi**** is that simple. Did you receive your package from Dr. Juarez office. It is a thick package with all kinds of things. It is asking you to provide medical background and things. Even if the insurance has approved the surgery. You need Dr. Juarez recommendation for the surgery. Once he tells you that you are a good candidate and verifies your insurance approval. You will have to undergo several medical tests. From the date of my insurance approval and surgery was exactly one month. In that time I had to have several things done. Dr. Juarez is very busy. My surgery was 1.5 years ago. It might be longer then a month now. I know when I went in for my follow up visits. I never saw him. It was always the PA's. Hope this helps some. Best of luck! Cynthia

Thank you for responding. I did complete the packet and they got my records from my PCP and a specialist I see. I have sleep apnea and sleep with a CPAP w/oxygen at night, diabetes, high blood pressure, blah blah blah. Anyway, my PCP is going to order blood work, and an EKG. I also had the psych eval done and Dr. J has the results, I sent it in with the packet. I was denied by my insurance a year ago, I did everything but give them my first born (the insurance - BCBS) and they still denied me. I'm feeling very GUN SHY now. I suppose I'll just pretend like I haven't made my mind up to do this yet.......open...open...open....:-D

Hi, Have you went to the ABC classes ? Every one goes to them When I had mine done the first thing I did was to see Dr. Juarez to see if I qualified in his eyes.then came the ins . to say yes, Then came the psych.and the abc classes.I finished my last class two nights before my surgery. Regards Carol

Carol, thank you for your reply. I really appreciate someone to talk to about this, I need some guidance. I think I'm doing this wrong, not that I'm trying to but it's happening that way. I felt really positive I would get this surgery before Christmas but the more I read the more I think I'm doing things wrong. Wait until you see what I've done, it's totally BASS ACKWARDS!! I have gone to a seminar about WLS, turned in my packet, had a psych eval, gotten all my medical records to Dr. Juarez's office (well, they actually requested them from my doctors) and than I got an online registration form from the hospital that looked like the packet I turned in the Dr. Juarez's office, filled that out and sent it to the hospital. I got a call from the insurance saying it was approved for me to have surgery as long as the hospital and doctor where approved by them ...... but I haven't seen the doctor yet. What is an ABC class, I don't think I've been told about that yet. I'll probably hear about it when I meet the doctor.

It sounds like you are in St Lukes program. The ABC classes are part of the requirement of the Bridges program at St Lukes. The classes can be in any order as long as you get them in. They are free to barriatric hopefuls who are having surgery with Drs Fang and Juarez. They cover nutrition, the basics of the operation and such, Dr. Fang was a part of that seminar. I suggest you ask your doctors office about the sign up. They have a number for Bridges, but I have yet to get anything but an answering machine. Kelly was nice enough to return my message with a message, and it was helpful. It is my opinon that you are not doing anything backwards as all roads lead to Rome. Best of luck....

Thank you!! I was pulling my husband's hair out! I can't pull mine out incase I have to lose it after surgery :) I'm having surgery done at Banner Good Samaritan on 12th street (?) not sure of the address but it's something about 12th street, in phoenix. They may not require this class, that may be why I haven't heard about it. :juggle: