For those of you who have been denied by your California based HMO insurer for needed reconstructive surgery, especially with “Kaiser," but others as well, feel free to contact me directly via my OH profile- contact mailing and I will direct you to a firm in Los Angeles which is pursuing the matter with the substantive change noted a few years back in the CA Health and Safety Code found, and well researched by my friend and renowned, esteemed Attorney, D. Cox.

Put simply, this change in the law suggest a showing of the common “medical necessity requirements" for any number of reconstructive procedures applied for and latter denied may no longer apply and could now be remedied by a simple resultant showing of abnormal structures post-op and your need to seek appropriate remedies via their efforts pursuing the matter for a large number of so aggrieved individuals. This very well respected and high profile firm invited me to post this without making this expressly public in contacting them.

I’m a tad overwhelmed with work demands now. (Almost always these days,) but will make every effort to get back to all in a timely way.
 
Rock    

not sure where you went but I sent you a private messege about  meetings here in SAC. Did not get a reply not sure if you read it. Check your messeges or click on my name if interested in the two meeting locations I have attended. I have not been in the last few weeks but felt welcome and comfortable when I attended. I f interested post and let me know. Will post locations and times here

Nancy attends a group in Sac and she is a Kaiser patient as are many of us here.   Hopefully she'll pop on and clarify if there is another one available where you aren't having to listen to someone elses issue regarding your insurance carrier rather than finding support from peers.
Good Luck
Deb

Attending a support group is usually a prerequisite for surgery. BUT, my surgeon welcomes anyone that is post op or preop, not just those pateints of his office.  Everyone should learn about possible post op issues, and post op groups are a good place to learn from other patients.  There are likely other post op groups in your area. If you're not welcome at "the club" of this surgeon, then find another group.  There are many post ops who attend my surgeon's groups, preffering that group over others they have been to in the past.  My surgeon has a 10 year RNY post op lead his support group, with his surgical nurse in attendance at 2 groups per month, and the nutritional professional in charge of bariatric patient at the hospital where surgery is performed.  You may have to try multiple groups before you find one you like. I prefer my surgeon's group over Kaiser's group in my local area as my personal preference.  DAVE

Howdy there -

I'm the guy that was sitting right next to you at today's support meeting.

I think the surgeon's main issue was that Kaiser was sending their patients out to his support service... like they're using him for a freebie.  I also assume that he didn't discuss the surgery and results of the surgery with you guys since he knew you weren't going to be his patients, coming out of Kaiser.  I'm sorry you felt embarrassed, but I thought it was pretty clear that he was agitated towards Kaiser, not you guys.  

Usually his support group is two halves; the first half is how surgery works and what you can expect for new or potential patients; the second half is for his post-surgery patients to discuss how we can maintain our good results.  Since there were no new or potential patients (and he ruled you out being from Kaiser), he just skipped to the second half of the support group.  You would know that this is the format if you were a patient of his - and you should seriously consider being a patient of his, if you can with insurance and all.  Of sure, he's not Mr. Cuddle Bear, but he's one of the best and most experienced bariatric surgeons in the state.  The most important choice in this path is to pick a *great* surgeon for your operation - you have to live with their operational skill for the rest of your life after the operation.  Cirangle has some of the best surgical metrics, hands down, and some of the most successful patients.  His staff is really awesome too... especially Amy, his nutrionist.

Sorry you didn't find the meeting more to your liking.  I know I'm really going to dig the protein pudding recipe though!  I already bought the ingredients! ;)