how long did approval take

I was just wondering how long anybody had to wait for the insurance to approve the surgery? I have BCBS and if all the start and planets line up with scheduling I have my last nutrition appt in Dec, get the dr's office to submit to the insurance and have the surgery in early January while my hubby is on break from school. I have all my other appts set up for Oct & Nov. Keeping fingers crossed with my high BMI and the diabeties they won't hem and haw about it.  I can not wait for all this to happen. Have a great weekend everybody!!!! 

I have BCBS of AZ and I was approved  the same day.  My surgeon's office said that they had never seen anyone get approved so quickly, I guess I was the exception.  As long as you have all the requirements met before you submit to them it should go smoothly.  I think it also helped because I was over-prepared. I gave them more than what the asked for, instead of 6 month physician supervised weight loss, I gave them 9 months. I also had 3 letters of medical necessity instead of the required one. Depending on which BCBS plan you have, they could all have different requirements.  Just make sure you have everything. All your i's dotted and your t's crossed.
Good Luck!

Barbara
HW- 407 lbs /BMI- 72
CW- 369lbs /BMI- 65.3
GETTING SWITCHED ON 11.07.2012
DR. ROBIN BLACKSTONE

 It took a week to get approval after they finally submitted (however insurance co said they could take up to a month).  Then it took another 6 weeks before I was on the table.  It was welcomed, because I used the time to tie things up at work to get them ready for me to be gone for 8 weeks.

Mine was also quick... just a few days after they submitted paperwork which was very through. Thanks, Terri

I had BCBS of CA when I had my surgery and I was approved within three days and had my surgery scheduled for 4 weeks later. It was incredibly fast for me. BCBS was fantastic through it all.

 I have all my appts set up Psychologist, Cardiologiest & Pumarnary along with the Nutritionist that I need to see for 3 months, so the earlies they could get the paperwork in would be the beggning of Dec and I hope to have the surgery in January while my hubby is home on break from him teaching and can get our daughter off to school. I am hoping to make my nutritionist appt for the very beggning of Dec (figners crossed for the 1st) have alot going on at my daughters school that I might be helping out on, so gives them time before Christmas to get everything in to the insurance co. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best, I think the insurnace companies have finally figured out if they let us have the surgeries it is cheeper for them in the long run. Have a great week everybody thanks for all the help xo

Hi Michele,

I to have BCBS and My surgeon is Dr Greenbaum in NJ, though I am going in for a revision from RNY to DS. Tina said she was submitting to the insurance by the end of last week, and I am hoping to hear something this week... Im going nuts waiting. I know it always depends on the insurance themselves and your company. I'll let you know how fast I get a resopnse.

~Christine

 hi Christine

Keeping fingers crossed for you. :)

Michele

BCBS of IL took around 2 weeks, but my request was a novel to read as I was requesting a WLS revision from lap band to DS.  (Extra hoops to jump)  Hang in there. Seems like BCBS is pretty good about timely approvals.