Anyone with Kaiser Ins in Riverside County...I'm here in Temecula

Hi Everyone....So I'm hoping that there are some of your out there that have been in the same cir****tances as I am now.  I have Kaiser Insurance and back in October of this year, I emailed their customer service to inquire about Lap-Band surgery and if they covered it....the emailed me back right away and said yes they do if you meet their criteria and get a referral from your PCP.  So yay...fast forward.  I made an appt with my PCP and it was scheduled for 12/17/10....she was so sweet and made it even more speedy for me and ordered me to have a blood panel done a week before my appt with her....which I completed on 12/10/10.  So now the day of my appt with her...she tells me that just by my BMI alone I qualify for the weight loss surgery....wow that was easy. =)  So I gave her a big big hug and she gave me the phone number for "Choices"....now this is where my questions come in.  K...so I get home after my appointment and call this "Choices" phone number they gave me and a Kaiser Rep guy answers the phone. I let him know that I received their phone # from my PCP and what do I do from here?  And he tells me well you have to go to the orientation and it's about 1 1/2 hours and when you're there they'll have you fill out an application. He was kinda short and matter a fact with me on the phone, so I didn't feel comfortable asking him 20 questions.  So here I am with all of you...LOL

What is the application for?  Is it to get approved for their "Option" Program that I keep hearing about...do you think I'll be placed on a waiting list for these classes?? Any guidance would be most helpful.  Can't wait for 1/4/11 for the orientation...just wish I knew a little bit more about what to expect.

U will have to attend the options orientation and then fill out all the paper work they give. Then u will turn in the paper work and get an appointment to talk with some and then u can pick the date to start your 12 week option class. I started my option classes back in march of this year and had surgery on dec 8th.

It can talk along time with kaiser so just be patient with them.

I have Kaiser too and yes this is a long process. I got my referral from my doctor last Dec 2009. waited for orientation class waited again for 12 week class to start waited again to get my first apt with surgeon Nov 17 2010 just got my surgery date April 4 2011. There are so many hoops to jump thou. You will be asked to fill out many forms asking you health history and diet history and some background information on your childhood. You will be asked to lose 10% of your body weight do not worry the 12 week class will help you out. I know this sounds like allot and it is but the time will go by fast and during the time you are waiting you will be working on yourself to build a healthier lifestyle. You most also remember that it took many years to get where you are now so all this hard wok you put into this will payoff big time. I am still waiting too but I have learned so much about myself in this year. I know now that this surgery is just a tool and I still needed to work on what got me here in the first place. I will have my sugary on April 4 confident and knowledgeable in my decision. Best on luck on your journey to a healthier you and remember that you will have ton s of friends on this website to help you along the way. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask I remember that feeling of just wanting to know.

FYI..
I heard this works.....

Find out when the next 12 weeks classes starts...even if  they are full and you can not get into, Just show up and attend the class... If more then 3 people drop...and they will, you will be allowd in the class since you have attened all the classes today. I know it works. My friend done it...There should be classes starting right after the first of the year...just call and ask what day they are on, and go and check the schuduel for what week every one is on...find the one on wk one  and walk in.....


Good luck

Lu

I live in Riverside and I just finished Options 12-week class in Corona.

I had to go for the orientation in 9/10 and a week later I got a call to go to class which ended 11/29/10.    During that time you are supposed to lose 5% of your weight, quit smoking, get a physical examination by your doctor and during class they have you exercise for about 5 minutes and talk about nutrition.    At Corona they have an options class almost every day.  In fact, if you miss a class you have to make it up.

After you finish your class, including make-up classes, and make sure you have your physical examination, you call again and make an appointment with Preventative medicine.   My appt is 12/22/10.   Supposedly this is a group meeting and I guess they will talk to you one-on-one.  This is 1 1/2 hours long.   At that time I think you will get the referral to the surgeon - I hope.

I am Kaiser in the Antelope Valley.

I started with my PCP March '10; got referral from Orientation held April; had an appt with "gatekeeper" doctor who either approves / disapproves of you moving on in May. Went on waiting list for Options class. Started Classes August 24th. Did not miss a class for the next 12 weeks. Had to have a heart stress test due to funky ekg. Cleared by cardiology. Did my psychological appt. finished classes. Made another appt with gatekeeper November (one week after classes ended)Dr. ordered blood labs, a new ekg, a new chest x-ray. Was approved. Was given choice of outside surgeon. Picked one who was said to be "fastest". Found out I needed a upper GI and abdominal ultrasound for surgeon. Had those November. Referral went out to surgeon once results from all testing done. Surgeon called December 2 with next aval. appt for a pre-op on January 4th. Hoping for surgery date Jan or February 2011.

And I PUSHED like crazy for the soonest appointments offered, and called every time for cancellation appts. Just push push push. (and lose the weight they require during classes)or they will not give you a referral for surgery !

I went to my orientation at the end of July and completed the whole series which you will be surprised to find Supportive since there will be others going through the process with you and very informative. I had my first pre-op appt with Dr. Tanaka the Wed before Thanksgiving. I wanted it right away and choose to go through pacific baractric in San Diego. As I am writing this I just checked my mail. I was told last week all surgery dates will be mailed and have still not got a surgery date. I am choosing the Sleeve I have no idea if that is making the difference.

I got a referral from my PCP 9/10/10, went to orientation a month later, and started Options in Los Angeles 11/11/10 - expect to be done 2/17/10. I was told that once we are done, and complete all the requirements, we can expect to have surgery as late as July 2011 with the wait lists like they are....

We have to lose 10% (but the social worker said that it's not absolutely required, just strongly preferred.) We have to turn in food logs every week, meet with a nurse, have the option of doing Optifast during the program.

Time will go by quickly - trust me. Don't stress

THANK YOU EVERYBODY!! YOU'VE ALL BEEN SOOOOOOO KIND AND HELPFUL WITH YOUR REPLIES!!

I'm totally not in any rush to finish and get through this program.  I'm just excited that with each appointment they send me to, I'll be getting that much closer to weight loss.  I'm really excited to learn more about myself through this whole process.  Why I eat the way I do, and all that fun stuff. 

Please feel free to friend request me or write me at anytime.  Would love to make new journey friends....good luck everyone and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Sincerely,

Lena