MEDICAID AND MEDICARE SURGEONS LIST!

 Hello

Welcome to OH!  Please come join us over on the Illinois Forum on the Daily Roll Call.  We have many members and are a VERY friendly, supportive group.  The daily roll call is found under _____(day of the week) roll call and people post and introduce themselves and tell what is going on in their world.  We chat about weight loss and non weight loss issues!  Hope to see you there! 

Nancy

What are the requirements for getting Medicaid or Medicare to cover the surgery?  Do you have to have a co-morbidity if your BMI is over 35 but just under 40?  If so, does depression count as a co-morbidity?

University of Chicago is not taking any more Medicare or Medicaid patients because they have a waiting list of 4 years.

what are the step that you have to go throught for weight surgery? and how long is what? I got a session this week and my evaluation in sept 2011. Can you give me more information.

Donna

University of Chicago made no mention to me of a wait list. However, they refused my request for BPD/DS using Medicare for insurance. Medicare has been refusing to pay for BPD/DS when a complication is encountered during surgery that causes termination of the surgery before the BPD/DS is completed. The patient is left liable for all surgery related costs. So UC has decided to not accept Medicare beneficiaries for the BPD/DS.

Mercy Hospital in Chicago, IL does Lap-Band only and does take public aid.312-567-BAND(2263)

My suggestion, get to the seminar EARLY.  They give out doctor visits according to who comes first.  The earlier you come, the earlier you will see your surgeon.  I got to the seminar 5 min. before it started and my first appointment was 3 weeks out.  People that came early got appointments the following week.  They only see new patients 2xs a week.

Second suggestion, change from an HMO (Family Health Network, Harmony, Meridian...etc) and get ILLINOIS HEALTH CONNECT.  It's straight medicaid and from what I was told the approval process is faster.

I had my seminar date on 10-11-2010, and my first appointment today where I will meet with the surgeon, dietician, pych, get ekg and lap test done.  At the seminar they said you could get a surgery date 30-60 days from your first appointment date.    I'll reply to this message after my visit today to give you a heads up on what to expect.

Hope this helps!

My car broke down on the way so I had to reschedule.  I will be going for my lab work today.  Will keep you posted. 

Mercy works pretty fast to get you approved and ready for surgery.  Not too fast though.  They are advocates of making sure you are the right candidate for the band.  I should have my surgery date for sometime late Dec, early Jan.  What a great way to start the year! 

Hey please keep us posted on your progress I am goin to the seminar in december

I've already had my psyche eval and I'll do my pre-op group sessions next week and the week after that I'll have my medical clearance for surgery.  So I'll probably meet with the surgeon the end of the month and have my surgery in Jan.  Super excited!!!

SUGGESTION: Arrive to your seminar 30 minutes early if you can, that way you'll get a surgeon appointment early.  I got their right on time and I didn't have my first appointment for 3 weeks and there were some people there that had appointments the following week.  Also, whenever you have your other appointments, always double check where your appointment is suppose to be.  I had a medical clearance appointment on the 23rd of November and their offices where closed (found that out when I arrived and read the note on the door) only to find out that I was suppose to meet my doctor at the hospital...which I found out much later he was also closed that day.  Make sure you confirm your appointment the day before if they don't.

Also, I had a medical clearance scheduled for the same day I had my psyche eval.  I sat there for 20 min only to find out that you can't have 2 appointments for the same day, which really pissed me off because THEY are the one that scheduled me.  So my medical clearance appointment was pushed another 2 weeks.  This is why I say always confirm your appointments and make sure they don't double book you. 

Good luck!  I look forward to reading more about your journey!!!