Still waiting for approval!!
Ok, I am still waiting....I know they told me 4-6 weeks but still....I was a little frustrated today, I made my daily call to UHC and got this "boy" on the phone who didn't seem very interested in his job. anyhoo, I asked him my daily status question. All along since Monday I had been told that it was in the nurses hand already, NOOOWWW he says, no it's still waiting to get there...I was a little mad....So, I politely asked him why 4 other people would tell me that a nurse had started reviewing it and now all of sudden its still floating out there....he of course didn't know. It wasn't completely bad news, it's just going along as speedily as I had hoped. Anyway, I called back to speak to someone who actually wanted to do their job.....I got wonderful Keri on the phone. She not only explained it was on the desk of a reviewer who basically gets all info ready for the nurse. makes sure all my stuff they need is there. AND she finally was able to answer my big question on what coverage I have AND what constitutes medical necessity. She verified that YES, it IS a covered procedure (woo hoo) and yes, it has to be medically necessary....Basically I have to fall under NIH guidelines...which I clearly and easily do....and have my psych eval (done) be recommended by the surgeon and psych doc's....have had been on a multi-disciplinary diet including an excercise plan and must be going to support groups and getting nutritional/excercise counsiling....She was soooo helpful! I asked her if I could just put her on hold and come back to her everyday to ask my daily question..
I am going to try and stick it out until Monday and not call, give it some time so I don't get overly impatient.
News was on the good side though! I have everything they need! So I hope it's just a matter of time!!! I am very hopeful and very anxious to get the approval. they said the doc put it in for 8/17! I know that date can change but they said that the approval was only good for 90 days so if I don't get it within that time frame, they have to get it again!! SO I really have to get with the docs office after I get my official approval and make sure they adhere to that. Dr zahn has such a long waiting list. And I am thrilled, because that means I can have it by September!!!! (I would like to lose 100 pounds by Feb - a special occasion for me...so the sooner the better!!!
That's it for now. will keep you all posted. I have found all of you so supportive!! thanks!
Shannon