Just getting started

I am just getting the process started and have chose Dr. Blackstone as a surgeon. I attended her seminar in February and was very impressed with the facility. My PCP gave me the medical necessity letter yesterday and I am pretty excited about the process going forward. I just completed filling out my information packet for Dr. Blackstone so I hope it doesn't take long to get in for my initial evaluation. Does anyone have any idea on how long it can take to get in for the initial evaluation? I am not anticipating any insurance issues and have spoken with the insurance company (UHC Choice Plus) several time and they have said that as long as it is medically necessary then it would be approved.....only time will tell...I am sure it can't be this easy. Any insight any of you can provide is greatly appricated. weight 6/10/2005: 406lb BMI: 60 Thanks, Dave

Dave--I'm also pre-op and a patient of Dr. Blackstone's office. I submitted my paperwork to her office on or about May 11, 2005. I was shocked to have a call from her office the following week on May 18th!! to schedule my appt. I then had my surgical consultation, psyc testing and dietician visit all on Monday May25th. I had my follow-up visit June 1, 2005 with Dr. Messer (Staff psychologist) to review the psych testing findings and discuss my history. He gave me the "green light" and then I was told that my paperwork would be submitted the following week (this past week) to my insurance company after they rec'd both the transcriptions from Dr. Messer and Dr. Jennefer. So I'm waiting to hear from my insurance company since I had all my letters of medical necessity (4), wgt loss records, etc all ready to go when I had submitted my packet to Dr. Blackstone's office. Good luck and I will look forward to hearing your progress.

You mention 4 letters of medical necessity....is that from PCP, Blackstone, Messer and Jennefer? Thanks, Dave

I had 4 letters of medical necessity: all 4 of my drs recommended and signed off on my having the procedure. I felt it would be helpful since I have a high bmi and lifelong health issues to show that all of them are on board. My therapist, my rheumatologist, gastroentrologist, pulmologist in addition to the surgerical consultation, Dietician, Messer.

Your letters of medical necessity would come from any doctor that can document a co-morbidity. You should schedule immediately with any specialists who can document sleep apnia, high blood pressure, incontinence, acid reflux, hernias, arthritis and other problems with legs, back pain, diabetes or anything else you believe is related to the weight. Each of those letters will help document the necessity your insurance company requires. You also may need to document a medically supervised diet, so get in immediately with your primary care physician andk get him or her to document your weight and put you on an official diet. Whether you need it or not in the long run, it's good to get started. If you do need it and haven't gotten it going, it will just hold you up. Sometimes they require six months of dieting and a certain percentage of weight loss during that time. Good luck. - Stephanie J

Hi Dave, I also have Dr. Blackstone and once you submit your packet they get back to you rather quickly. I faxed mine in and called to make sure they got it. I also have UHC Choice plus and you should have no problem getting aproved with a BMI of 60. I needed to have a co- morbidity, which I do have sleep apnea. UHC takes about 4 weeks to approve, maybe you will be one of the lucky ones and get approved quickly. God Bless, Sandy P

Yeah, Sandy. You're probably right. I didn't notice his BMI was 60. That's high enough to be a comorbidity all by itself. He'll probably be able to slide right in on BMI alone. Odds are there are plenty of comorbidities that can be documented as well. - Stephanie J

Hi there I also have UHC and the Drs office sent all the paperwork to the insurance. I did not have to have any evaluations but since I was new to the insurance they needed a certificate of coverage from my previous insurance(this was the only glich) I was approved in 2 weeks with Dr.Schlesinger Barix Clinics. He was out of network but I was really impressed with his staff. Good luck Bernice

Hi I am out by about 1 month. I had Dr. Kieran a Doc with Doctor Blackstone and LOVED her. I have nothing bad to say. She was awsome. When I was scheduled I had a choice btwn Dr. Blackstone or Dr. Kieran the difference was how far out they were booked. I chose Dr. Kieran since I just wanted to get it over with. I was sooo Happy with her. I can not imagine being any happier with Dr. Blackstone. Good Luck P.S. I am about 3.5 WEEKS out and according to my scale I have lost 40lbs!!!!