Stuck in bureaucratic hell

Band to DS
on 8/2/11 7:28 am, edited 2/3/12 10:22 pm
Unfortunately, I had to delete this post due to privacy concerns.

Got a lap band in 2008. Tried hard, but didn't lose much weight & developed swallowing problems. Fought my insurance company for almost a year & finally had a band to DS revision on 5/11/12. Have now lost 125 pounds. Yay!

Poodles
on 8/2/11 7:43 am, edited 8/1/11 7:43 pm - TX
Cookies. I swear... cookies. My doctors office staff will do anything for food. Put a nice note with it like "thanks for all you do" or " I appreciate your help".

It sounds silly, but it works.

Edited to add: I usually bug them to death with a phone call every hour too... so maybe a combo will work!
 Come to the Dark Side!!!                     
Band to DS revision 11/09/09.
Learn about the Duodenal Switch at dsfacts.com ! Off site comparisons of the 4 WLS 
http://www.thinnertimes.com/weight-loss-surgery/wls-basics/w eight-loss-surgery-comparison.html
http://www.lapsf.com/weight-loss-surgeries.html
 
  
Band to DS
on 8/2/11 11:41 pm, edited 2/3/12 10:22 pm
Unfortunately, I had to delete this post due to privacy concerns.

Got a lap band in 2008. Tried hard, but didn't lose much weight & developed swallowing problems. Fought my insurance company for almost a year & finally had a band to DS revision on 5/11/12. Have now lost 125 pounds. Yay!

beemerbeeper
on 8/2/11 7:54 am - AL
Show up at the office with a big basket of food and ask to sit down with the person who submits to insurance.

His office sounds like a nightmare which apparently is true for Duke as a system and not just his office.  But the surgeon you get is probably worth it.

~Becky


larra
on 8/2/11 10:24 am - bay area, CA
Call every day, several times a day if needed, til you get a live person and get helped. Be polite but be persistent. Be the squeaky wheel.

Larra
(deactivated member)
on 8/2/11 11:03 am
I just came back from Duke a few hours ago and they are really weird about insurance submissions - I don't know why. Today I met with the NP, met with the NUT, got a bunch of tests ordered, set up an appointment with the Pysch and had blood-work done, but they won't submit anything to my insurance company until I've done 4 mos of the 6 mos of pre-op dieting required. I asked them to submit it anyway so I can appeal the 6 month diet and they said no. Everyone else has been really nice and accommodating though. I have to admit, I was nervous seeing the NUT but she was really nice and encouraging. I liked her a lot. So far, nothing but kudos for those folks from me. BUT I haven't actually met Dr. Sudan yet. We'll see!
Band to DS
on 8/2/11 11:48 pm, edited 2/3/12 10:23 pm
Unfortunately, I had to delete this post due to privacy concerns.

Got a lap band in 2008. Tried hard, but didn't lose much weight & developed swallowing problems. Fought my insurance company for almost a year & finally had a band to DS revision on 5/11/12. Have now lost 125 pounds. Yay!

(deactivated member)
on 8/2/11 12:44 pm - Yorktown, VA
Continue to bug the **** out of them.  This is the only way I got anything done there back in 2009.  I swear they must have had "PAIN IN THE ASS" in red permanent marker in my file, but I didn't care.....I got results.

If I were close enough, I'd go by in person and ask to speak to the insurance person and if they were busy or out to lunch or whatever, I'd simply say that is fine and I'd wait.....all freaking day if I had to.

If you're not close enough, continue to call on a daily basis and leave a message EVERY time.  If this goes on for another week without results, then you start to go over their heads.  Ask who you need to speak with to make a formal complaint and start there.

Good luck!
Band to DS
on 8/3/11 12:03 am, edited 2/3/12 10:23 pm
Unfortunately, I had to delete this post due to privacy concerns.

Got a lap band in 2008. Tried hard, but didn't lose much weight & developed swallowing problems. Fought my insurance company for almost a year & finally had a band to DS revision on 5/11/12. Have now lost 125 pounds. Yay!

girlygirl1313
on 8/3/11 3:16 am - Davidson, NC
 You can call BCBS and ask them if they have received the paperwork.  This part of the process drove me batty as well.  I went through approval with 2 different surgeons and both had the slowest insurance people.  When I went through my appeal I worked straight with BCBS and cut out the Duke middle man :)

now go to your happy place and breathe!    ~GG



        

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