Successful SoCal Kaiser Patients Please Help!

I went to my PCP in Nov 07 weighing 318lbs (BMI over 50).  She did the blood work and the referral to the Options program.  I went to orientation in January 08 and started my classes in April 08.  There was a package of paperwork to fill out before the orientation and it discussed different things you tried.  I filled out the papers and submitted it during orientation and got the class. My friend went to her PCP and was told that she had to have a BMI of 50 to get referred.  She went a few months later and had her BMI of 50.  She got the referral to the Options a few months later she got the orientation and her classes started the last week of March. Neither myself nor her had to "prove"  or show other then writting it in the orientation paperwork about other diets we had tried. Maybe it's because of your moms BMI.  If I were her I'd fight it. Ms Shell

Thanks Shell! Man its been forever since I've seen you! Hope its going good for you!

Yes it has been FOREVER!!  I am doing really well thanks.  So is it the people in the Options program that are saying this, or her PCP?

She said it was when she went to the orientation, whoever runs that... but her PCP sure took his time in even referring her... xoxo

The hardest part i encountered was getting my PCP to refer me.  He kept saying "I was so young" to just the optifast program, i could lose the weight".  Finally i got my referral, then they first denied me because my PCP said that i wasn't trying to lose weight anymore, and i didn't exercise, which wasn't the case.  I just didn't exercise for 3 hours a day like i did when i was losing a bunch of weight, it is almost impossible to keep up,  As soon as he changed it and resubmitted it, i was approved for the options classes.  I finished them on May 1, 2006.  I saw my surgeon on May 6, 2008, and i just found out today that my surgery will be June 13, 2008.  I was never told anything about losing weight or being on a program first, but i had also just done 10 months of Weigh****chers.  He counted that.  I know that all Kaisers seem to be different in the way they operate, so that could just be way that Kaiser operates, they don't really seem to have a universal program that each follows.  Sorry i couldn't be more help.  Tell her to file a complaint and see if that helps, that is how i finally got my PCP to refer me. Good luck to your mom. Crystal

Crystal.. YAY!! Its almost your surgery date!! I am glad you persisted!  Good luck to YOU!!

Thank you!!!  And so am I!!

I met my PCP and one look at me he referred me to Options.  No pre-diets, no exercise programs, I waited to get into the class and had to raise hell to get in and threatened to drop Kaiser (it was my open enrollment period), and then I got into the class, once the sales rep called membership services.  The people that do the classes are not supportive nor endorse WLS.  Well I finished the class and had surgery within 6 weeks of completion of the course.  Wishing the best for your mom. Shardon

Thank you for sharing your story Shardon... sheesh.. you would think that they would see the economic benefits as well as the expense...

Dr Hsiang is my PCP at Kaiser Riverside and he referred me right away. I had a 50 BMI. That was May of last year. I had my orientation in June, started classes in September, finished in March, saw my surgeon last week and I am waiting for my date. The biggest hold up was because my body wanted to choose the month I got out of Kaiser classes to get full blown diabetes (I had been deemed insulin resistant for years). I had to get my sugars down to an acceptable level according to my PCP. After he cleared me, it took 3 weeks for my "approval".