Can anyone tell me about KAiser

HI my mom has kaiser and wants the lap-band. I was wondering if anyone can tell me about the process for kaiser here in Colorado. Is it true that Kaiser chooses the surgeon? My mother really wants to use my surgeon, but I've been told all Kaiser patient have to use the same surgeon

 

Hi Shasta,

I'm a Kaiser patient, awaiting sleeve surgery, hopefully in Sept '08.

In the Denver area, Kaiser contracts with 3 surgeons to perform their WLS.

The waiting time for the surgery is approximately 1 year.

During this year, the patient sees the WLS departmen, gets a psych eval twice, sees the surgeon to find out what other tests he wants done, attends an eight week surgical connections class, and then finally gets a surgery date.

I doubt very much that Kaiser will pay for WLS surgery that is not provided by their contracted surgeons, but certainly your mother can ask.

HTH,

Fred

Ditto to what Fred said. If Kaiser is going to pay for it, you have to use their contracted surgeons, but there are several to choose from Dr. Chae, Dr. Brown, Dr. Metz.....those are all of them I think? Dr. Chae was awesome and I would highly recommend him.

In Colorado Springs, they give you two choices:

1. To go to the Denver Kaiser Clinic and wait on a list.

2. Colorado Springs Surgical Accociates w/ Penrose Main (This is the one I took)

I am still in the early stages, see surgeon next Thursday, the 6th for the first time. Then have psych and Dietician visits and the set surgery date after that.

I am planning on posting the whole process, including costs. To help others figure out things too.