Please help any info Medicare

Hello, just wanted to get some info or some feedback from people who have knowledge on Medicare. I have Medicare and am currently working with Suburban Surgical in Arlington Heights. I am getting tests done to see if I have any comorbids cause the doctors say that they wont do the surgery if I dont have any. They are worried that since Medicare does not preapprove they wont cover it. But i heard that they will based on my BMI and other issues that arent technically referred to as comorbids. So I go tommorow for sleep study and hope I have sleep apnea or else im going to have to get a ton of doctors recommendations and such to give to the surgeon's office to show them that i believe i will be approved. I dont know what Medicare is like or what they expect...

Hi Dixie Dr. Guske did my surgery in January and I have Medicare. It's true that they don't preapprove but the surgery must be what they call medically necessary. If I remember correctly, their definition is/was BMI of 40+ and at least 2 comorbid conditions. I had diabetes, high blood pressure, high colesterol, and they found I also had sleep apnea to boot. So there was no problem and Medicare covered everything. Also Dr. Guske is the very best. If he does your surgery you will love working with him. If I can help you in any way let me know. Reards, Ronna

Hi, Dixie, They (Medicare) also consider osteoarthritis as a co-morbidity. If you are having any problems with pain in your joints please get this checked out. Make sure that you start having your PCP record your weight every 2 weeks in case they want proof of a medically supervised weight loss program. I have heard they may start wanting this proof, so if you haven't done this, start right away. It couldn't hurt. Dawn (Shelly64)

Where is the Wilmington Senior Center, I might be interested in giving it a try....Linda

What is a PCP? I read 1 comorbid also on the Medicare requirements page for wls online. THanks.

Linda, The Wilmington Senior Center is located at the corner of 19th & Market Streets in the historic Brandywine Village area. The front of the building, an old stone house, faces Market Street; however, the entrance to the center is in the back. Therefore, I park on 19th Street. I hope you CAN come. It is great fun. I wish I could try out the class you mentioned, but I have doctorate classes on Wednesday nights. Take care, Renay

Well, with it being 7-11 PM I guess its not a class but social time. (My class is 5-10 PM. ) ~ Renay

PCP is Primary Care Physician

Thanks Tina!!! Email is on the way. BTW - done losing does not equil skinny or even slim. I am not there ... got a bunch of muscle and far more pounds than I feel I should have. But it is somewhat of a relief to finally say, I am done and get on with it, ya know? At any rate, you have absolutely no reason to be jealous of me. Of everyone here, I have probably done the worst as far as total weight loss goes. The only thing I can hold close right now is that I am healthy and quite a bit slimmer than when I started. You on the other hand have already even had your plastics. I am 2.5 yrs out and just now starting that part of my journey ... and there is no way I will be looking at anything other than losing this tummy tire. I get blindsided once in a while ... the last meeting I was at (Elissa's home - someone asked me when I was going to have my surgery - and I was almost 1.5 - 2 yrs out? - Did I still look like I had not even started my journey at this time???? I went to visit my PCP last March and without even looking up she asked me if I had ever decided to have "the surgery". WHAT? Did she even look at my weight, or my body ... but what did I do ... I internalized ... I must be soooo fat that I still look like I need to have surgery. Aye Yi Yi!!! Needless to say, these things devistate me to the point that I run into my shell and self bash. I hate it ... but it is reality. There are times I truly feel like a freak of nature. My stomach is so much bigger than the rest of my entire body. There are times I look at my pics or in the mirror and all I can see is my fat rather than all I have accomplished. I have since pretty much gotten past it ... but every once in a while something comes along again and I feel like a complete and total failure and have to really work at pulling myself out of the pit once again. Sometimes it gets the better of me ... other times I run across someone who is really ill and not able to eat with their surgery or in horrid pain, and I am so very thankful that my complications have been minimal and easily fixed. And for the most part, my life is for the most part, normal, at least as normal as a person can be in our position. And am pretty satisified with where I am. UNTIL I compare myself with others who are far more "successful" than I. Horrid stinkin thinkin that needs to be squashed immediately before it grows!!! Truly this journey is a ride eh? Hang in there Tina, and remember that the tool is still intact. Together, we can all get through this relativly unscathed. Right? Seriously, right???? Hugs!!! TT

Yea, i keep hearing from Suburban Surgical care mixed things about Medicare. I hear from people who have had the surgery that they consider joint problems to be a comorbid and then i hear that they dont from the office from some lady. Im so confused. I just want medicare to pay for it.