back to drawing board

I guess I'm not meant to have the surgery. Between the doctors and the insurance it's not working out. By the time my new medicaid UHC takes affect it will be too late for getting my meds and a new doctor, before we head north for the summer, being my currnent physician doesn't take UHC. So I may have to cancel getting my insurance changed, unless there a way I can get insurance changed right before next Jan, but my change period is now. So if I have to wait until next year, it will be the same situation. So I am still finding it impossible to find a surgeon. Another option might be for me to move back to NY or PA long enough to get the surgery. I KNOW in PA there is not as bad a problem with specialists taking medicaid, not like here in FL. I've heard of Medicaid offering to pay for weight loss surgery in NY. I know a couple women at the church I use to attend in PA, had their surgery done in NY, where I just moved from a year ago. I also had a neurosurgeon in PA that takes medicaid. I moved here thinking it would be better on my health, and I heard FL had loads of doctors in al specialties. I didn't realize there was such a problem with the Medicaid down here. I think I am also having my heart problems (CHF) re-occur, I've been retaining fluid a The fluid might just be from one of my new pain meds. Then today I thought, I felt like my heart might be in A-fib again. My Cariologist uped my fluid meds for a week, and I go back to see him again on friday. I'm really at a lose and frustrated. If and when I can find a surgeon that takes my insurance, I have my letter typed up to my physician and one for my insurance.

Okay, I am from PA and I live here. Maybe I am wrong but my understanding of Medicaid is that it is on a Federal level not the state level. Am I correct in assuming this? Liz

Yep, you are sorta wrong and sorta right. Medicaid I believe, is a federal thing but it is runned by each state. So no matter which state you move to, in order to get Medicaid in that state, you have to register. And when you register you find out each state pays differently and has there own set of rules, some of them are the same as other states, and some are different. Where the federal comes in is if your on SSI, then usually you're auto eligible in any state. Just after you change your info on your SSI with Social Security office in the state you've moved into, then in most cases the SS office notifies or puts you in touch with Medicaid, and you get a notice from Medicaid that you are eligible for medicaid in that state via your SSI qualification. Each time I've moved, I have to notify the Medicaid office in the state I was living in and tell them I moved to another state, so then they close out my account like 30 days after notifying them. In the mean time the Medicaid in the current state picks up just prior to the previouse one lapsing. It sure would be nice if they were all runned the same! That is wishful thinking. lol I've lived in PA twice, I grew up in PA, I moved out during my divorce, to Albany NY. Then moved back to PA. I didn't have a car at the time and Canton is just a little dinky town, so no publice transportation to speak of. So then I moved to Elmira NY, which is closer to Canton than Albany. Elmira has a regular bus service and taxi service. Than my bf talked me into moving to FL for my health. So I've had the experience of dealing with Medicaid each state.

Sorry to hear of your difficulties. It is very hard to find a bariatric surgeon in Florida who accepts medicaid. I know of two. They are located in Largo Florida and do surgery at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater Florida. They accept Staywell which is a medicaid HMO. It is the only one they do accept. Their office number is 727-586-3751 if you are interested. If you need any other info let me know. Good luck

Thanks so much. If I try them I'll have to change medicaid plans and prime care doctors. Then I'll also have to wait until fall, when I come back from up north and see if I can get medicaid to change me a little more than mid-stream of the change over waiting period. In the mean time, I'm resorting to giving another try the conventional way. I'll let my doctor know so he can document it, so if it doesn't work for me again, then I'll give it another try later to get the surgery. But will keep looking at othe avenues of getting a surgeon, and or the proper insurance. I am not sure if AARP help pays for either of the weight loss surgeres or not. I'll be 50 in May. A couple weeks ago, I called Dr. Hipps office, the medicaid office in Gainsville had given me his number for my doctor to try. When I called, I believe it was Jodi answered. She said at the moment Dr. Hipp's office was not accepting any forms of medicaid, but to keep checking back, that they may at any time start taking medicaid again. I'm sorry, but It just that it makes me so upset when the doctors are like that, it's very frustrating!! All they're after is the all mighty dollar, they have no compassion anymore. Thanks, and thank you for the info, I have written it down and pinned it on my board.

US Bariatric Orlando accepts UHC Medicaid. FYI, UHC Medicaid now requires a 6 month diet. But after that, they will pay for everything - hospital, doctor, anesthesia, psych eval, and first year of follow-up care. HTH, Kristen

I may be using them IF I can get Medicaid to change my plans in the fall when I come back from NY state, instead of now. With my health I want to take every chance I can get to see my grandbabies. The one I've never met yet. IF I change to UHC now, I'll have to get a new prime care, which is not a problem, I'm not real happy with anyhow. The problems lies in the timeing. I don't have the time by the time my UHC takes affect in May to get a new PC and get my record sent to the new PC and get meds on time to leave for NY . So, if I can get that worked out in the fall and in the mean time get the 6 month diet thingy in, then hopefully it will work out. I have been to dietitians via my heart doc in PA, but that was back in late 90's . I don't believe they would have the records of it now, and I imagine the insurance wants something more current. Only thing I have there are my records from TOPS= Take Off Pounds Sensibley, in which I've used there plan for yearsm and even currently on and off over the past year. I still attend my TOPS meetings every Thrusday eve. They have records of my weigh-ins, I get a travel sheet when I go north to attend meetings up there and to get weighed in. I also have like a bank booklet to keep a record of my loses and gains. I have to turn in a menu of what I ate all week, each week to them. So I don't know if that counts or not? Another option might be if I can get a temp residency in NY, I KNOW of doctors in Elmira NY where I use to live takes Medicaid! Only reason I didn't get the surgery up there before moving, my prime care physician said I don't need the surgery that I'm not that big. It's like excuse me, lol I think I AM or I wouldn't of had these health problems from it. But yeah, IF I can get changed plans and doctors in the time frame I have, I'll surely us US Bariatric. Thanks!