Dr. Khan & Medicaid

Anyone here have Dr. Khan as their surgeon? I have my consultation on the 27th. I have Medicaid that I'm hoping is going to approve me. I am 5'2" 350 lbs. with a BMI of 64. I'm a 50 year old grandmother raising 2 grandchildren and I need this surgery if I'm going to live to raise them. Besides the weight, I also have type 2 diabetes, acid reflux, osteoarthritis, high cholestreol, and thyroid desease. I've been really worried that Medicaid will not pay and then I don't know what I'll do. Does anyone know if they will cover this or not? I'm really scared.

Medicaid will pay for the surgery, assuming you are approved.  I don't know about the doctor but if they scheduled the consult knowing that you were on Medicaid, I assume he accepts it.  If not, there are other surgeons in the area who take Medicaid.  Let us know how you do.

WOW!!!!! You look fantastic. Hope I can have the same results someday....
Thanks so much for your reply. I have been very down the last few days, trying to get all my pre-op requirements in order. I have just recently been put on Medicaid and have until Oct. 23, 2010 to choose either the Amerigroup or Wellcare program. Dr. Khan's office told me if I could get everything I needed (Psyc. & Nutritional Evaluations, Cardiac Clearance, and clearance from my PC), before I had to choose a plan, that straight Medicaid would approve me faster and I should be able to have my surgery before Oct. 23rd. The problem I ran into yesterday, is that straight Medicaid will not pay for the Psyc. or Nutritional evaluations and right now, I don't have the money to pay for them on my own. I'm trying to decide whether or not to go ahead and change to Wellcare (which my surgeon accepts, and it will pay for everything, but I'll probably have to wait longer for the surgery), or to keep trying to get Medicaid to pay for the evaluations. I just really don't know what to do, but, I know I'm not giving up until I make it.

Thank you.  And yes you will have comparable results, if not better. This has been difficult but a tremendous blessing, all at the same time.

Its sounds like you have some viable options and that you are doing a good job of thinking this through.  The one thing you should consider is the amount of time that it takes to deal with Medicaid....and to get them to do something.
That might prompt you to make the change to Wellcare even if it means a delay because there is no guarantee that Medicaid will cooperate.  Just a thought.  The one thing you can do for yourself in the meantime is to start changing your life now.  Begin making better food choices, start with some sort of exercise, replace soft drinks with water, stop drinking with meals, etc.  These things will be good preparation for you once you do have the surgery.

Do they require that you do the NUT consult and the psych consult with particular persons?  My insurance did not pay for the NUT visit and I think the cost was around $95.00 or so.  Fortunately my co pay for the psych eval was minimal but my doc charges about $350.00 for persons without insurance which is reasonable (someone else quoted me $1100 and would not even submit it to insurance because they said it would not be covered) but a chunk of money if you do not have it right now.

I remember who Dr. Khan is now.  He and Michael Williams are partners and that is a well respected practice.  Stop worrying and take this one step at a time.  Even if your surgery is delayed until December or January, you will be better off than if you never had the opportunity to get the surgery at all.

Keep us posted on your progress.  Remember you MUST BE PATIENT.  You did not get obese overnight and the process of correcting the problem takes time and effort and is not for the faint of heart.

i have medicaid hre in ga...I chose peachstate as my primary...Peachtree surgical and bariatrics did my surgery...Dr. Larry Hobson who is with Dr. Titus Duncan...went to seminat at Atlanta Medical Center..they will give you all of required paperwork...it depends on how fast you can get you evaulations done..I paid $100 for nutritional/exercise evaulation..$100 for psych evaluation both fees included written reports...cardiac evaluation was covered under peachstate and blood work by my primary...after all paperwork was submitted they reviewed packet and sent to my insuracne carrier...i got approved in 3 days...if you can choose peachstate and look into Dr. Duncan's group....they are great...Also for info..a panniculectomy which is the removal of the excess abdominal skin is also covered by peachstate...hope this helps....stay encouraged...time goes by so fast!

Thanks so much for the information. Peachstate is not available as a choice to me. I had to choose from either Wellcare or Amerigroup and hardly no one will accept Amerigroup anymore.I know Dr. Khan accepts Wellcare and I have an appoinntment with him on Wed.. I had my NUT evaluation last week and I have an appointment for the psych evaluation on Oct. 6th. My Wellcare goes into effect on October 1st. and I am so hoping that approval and surgery will closely follow.

It looks as though you have done very well post. I hope I can do as well.
Thanks again for the information and the support.
Sandra

I just wanted to stop by and say good luck to you!  I didnt have Dr Khan but I did have Dr Williams and I LOVE him!  The staff there is very nice and will help you any way they can!

I hope everything went well for you today!  :)

Thanks for the support. I can't wait to get this done, I've been overwieght for almost 30 yrs. now and I am ready to be free of the FAT!!!!. :0).