Talksoupslp is the Goddess of SHBP Information!

Who was your wife's doctor?

Leena Khaitan.  She was great...but unfortunately she left here and went to somewhere in Pennsylvania.  I am still hoping to use an emory bariatric doctor for my surgery.  I will have to go to Atl anyway, so it really doesn't matter which center of excellence I go to.  I will probably do John's Creek.

I wanted to go there, but Cigna won't cover Emory Johns Creek - only Emory Crawford Long - go figure!

I know northside is a center of excellence in bariatrics and I had  a different surgery last yr at Northside.. they were wonderful.. even my Mom from Ny like them there.. and she is a critical *****LOL

You have to decide but if it were me I'd go Northside.

CC

I've talked with someone directly with the SHBP plan, and she told me just last week that any COE will be ok.  I work for a program in Augusta and she told me as long as we are COE patients can come see us.

That is sooooo aggravating! They told me it was only those three. I specifically asked, what if you are not near Atlanta and she said, Well, I guess you either go to Atlanta or don't have the procudure!

I would be VERY leary of that information.  It might be true, but I'd be leary.  This is the first I have heard of "any COE will be okay".  SHBP, UHC, and Cigna have given the info that it has to be 1 of 2 hospitals (UHC) or 1 of 3 hospitals (Cigna).

I don't think we will have any REAL answers until after January 1st.

-Elli

I think you're right - I am just gonna stick with ECL.

I have also been on the phone a lot lately trying to figure all of this UHC stuff out.  I spoke with someone at the Optum place and was told I could go ahead and begin the weight loss plan and the psychological counseling now and it would transfer over when I set up a file with them in January.  However, no one can tell me what type of psych counseling I need.  I don't know whether I need to just start seeing a shrink, request a psych evaluation with a provider near home, or what?  I am aggravated because I don't want to wait until January to start the process.

Does anyone know more about the psych component of UHC's prior to approval demands?