Need to vent, may need to change surgeons but I really don't want to.

Well, I really don't know if I am mad or sad....

I chose Dr. Michael Williams as my surgeon for my revision from lapband to RNY.  I really like him, however, I am having a problem with the one person I need besides him.

I went a couple weeks ago for my consult.  Loved him, the receptionist, his nurse, etc.  He cleared me for the surgery.  I have UHC and it only requires a letter of medical necessity from him period.  No weightloss history, psych exam nada.  Had same plan with both my lapband and husbands band over bypass (different company).  Anyway, they actually told the Insurance coordinator the same thing.  Should be that simple, right?  WRONG

I first got chewed out 2 days after my visit because I didn't stop and see the surgical coordinator before leaving the office (she likes to see all patients before they leave because all my dealings will be with her from this point forward).  I have no problem with that, but I asked specifically is there anything else I needed to do before I left.  Both Dr. Williams AND the receptionist said no.  I paid my $25.00 copay & $100 for my letter and left with the understanding my letter would be sent Thursday.  This was Wednesday. I got a call Friday, from the scheduler/Insurance Coord. chewing me out basically because I did not stop in to see her.  How was I supposed to know that????  Anyway, she says she wanted the 5 year weight history to send with my paperwork.  Okay, why UHC didn't require it, but whatever.  Got that info.  Although, she said she was sending it in on the 20th.  Well, contact UHC on the 27th just as followup, they don't have my paperwork.  They say should take 24-48 hours to show up in their system.  Mind you had this plan 7 years, 2 weightloss surgeries approved in 3 days each. Been there done that.  Call Doc's office, first couldn't find my file, then says oh if not here on my desk it has to be in pending.  Looks in pending, finally locates it somewhere else and says she submitted it via fax on the 20th.  I advised her UHC says they do not have it.  Her response "Well, I sent it" OKAY, SEND IT AGAIN!!! I have to vent here because I do not want to upset her or aggrivate the situation, but I am so irritated.  Contacted UHC this morning, NOPE, still not there.  UHC says wait until tomorrow afternoon to give it the full 48 hours before I think I have a problem.  I do not want to wait 30 days to when I am supposed to have a response and find out they do not have it. 
If I change it is totally not the surgeons fault by any means, but I have to feel comfortable with his staff, as well.  There are 2 other surgeons on our plan that will make my surgery only be $225.00 vs. others that are out-of-network wich would be 10% of their cost. 

IDK, maybe I am just over reacting because I am so sick of this band being useless in me.  I should have removed it a long time ago, but I felt like such a failure if I had to admit I couldn't do it.  But, now to find out it wasn't me at all is more frustrating!

Any advice???  Especially, anyone a Dr. Williams patient???

Thanks for listening.

OK, I have no real help for you except to say that it's perfectly ok to vent here and I totally understand your frustration.  My only advice would be to call back and keep asking nicely for this person to get her job done.. or maybe you could send the letter yourself?.. will they allow that? 

I wonder if you were there the same day I was! I had to leave the initial video presentation because I had no idea how long the initial consult would take and I had already been waiting almost an hour past the time they told me to be there.

Anyway, my experience was that I LOVED Dr. Williams. However, the staff left something to be desired. They did not have me down on the schedule for that day OR any of the paperwork I had faxed in to them. I tried to reschedule, but they shuffled me through, for which I was grateful.

In the end, I decided not to go with Dr. Williams, because I really think the DS procedure will be better for me and he does not perform it.

Who else are you considering?

Good luck!

Yes, that was me.  I remember that.  I agree with I love Dr. Williams, but not so much all the staff just this one particular individual.  I finally got her to resubmit my paperwork and was approved 3 days later.  I have surgery 4/9/09.

I considered the DS, but didn't really feel I needed to  go that drastic.  It is slightly more drastic, I believe, than the RNY. 

I was having a really hard time finding a Doc around the area I live (Lawrenceville) who performed the DS and is on my insurance.  Plus, I think that they will not pay for DS. When I asked them they only stted RNY & lapband. 

Good Luck to you on this amazing journey!

Terri