If Healthy Indiana Plan covered your surgery...

Let me know what was involved :) Who was your doctor and what surgery was covered? How are you feeling now? Any regrets?

My surgery was covered by Medicare and Medicaid, which I'm assuming is now called Healthy Indiana ?

I have such a high spend-down, that unless my monthly medical expenditures take almost all of my disability check, they pay for nothing.

As for the surgery itself, Dr Margaret Inman did  my Duodenal Switch, and I came out with only $25.00  out of pocket.

Thank you very much for responding. Healthy Indiana plan is for those of us who aren't eligible for Medicaid. Because we are a low income family, I only pay a small fee every month. It goes by my income...

I'm wondering if that's not a better option for me, as opposed to Medicaid.

My disability benefit is higher than most, because I had a decent job before lupus and fibromyalgia hit. That's all I get, and prescriptions, co-pays, vitamins and protein supplements has to come out of that, not to mention dental.

I'm going to ask somebody about it...not my caseworker, because he's the caseworker from Hades!

I'm barely eligible, and I'm sure after the next recertification I won't be...because Social Security benefits got cost of living raises this year...and with medical issues, it really doesn't help that much.

I do.I had to find a "center of excellence". In Indiana that leaves you with St. Vincents and IU North. I was NOT required to do a 6 month supervised diet, just the 3 months my facility required (IU Health). I had to get a referral from my PCP to attend the seminar/primary consult. Approval was easy. If you qualify they tend to approve and not look for a reason to deny like some insurances do at times. Was submitted on a Friday got approval the next Tues :)

My Dr. is Dr. McKenna. I was going for the sleeve but 2 months in IU said that HIP will approve the sleeve then refuse to pay. They said they had so many this happened to that they quit sleeving HIP patients. That may be IU specific, but I can't see St. Vincents putting up with it either. Also, I chose IU for a reason so I wasn't willing to switch to St. V's just because of a hiccup in the road so I never even looked into St. V's position on it. So, basically I chose from RNY and the band (I'm scared of the malabsortion with RNY enough.. DS ain't happening! Don't know if it would have been covered though) and since foreign objects and I don't mix well I am going with the RNY.

I'm in the final stages of pre-op (pre-op class then surgery) so I can't answer your last 2 questions yet :) Good luck!!

If you have any other questions I'd be happy to try to answer them :)

By now I'm sure you've had your surgery, so this information may be too little too late.

After about 18-24 months (varies with the individual) RNY's lose their malabsorption, and are left with restriction only.

That means back to the restrictive diet merry go round.  That merry go round is exactly why I chose the DS.  I also knew I would need the permanent malabsorption to keep the weight off.

Once you learn the routine, and master the vites and protein supplements (many don't even need them...I'm one of the "lucky" ones who does) it's really a no-brainer.

I already had the pill-taking part down pat.  I also have lupus and fibromyalgia, so I had plenty of practice with my Rx meds!

I'm going to be having plastics to remove excess lower body skin December 27th at St. V's 86th Street Hospital in Indy. Hope all is going well for you!

BTW-  I don't think IU Health was even built yet when I had my DS at St. V's!  Maybe I'm thinking of the Dr.'s offices on Meridian.  I *know* that wasn't there when I had my DS surgery at St. V's  Carmel.

I need to know if hip will pay for the physcoligst (sp)? And the nutritionist? The info pack I got said the physchologist was 120. And the nutritionist was 150. If I have hip how can I afford this..I've waited so long to have this surgery..maybe I'm getting discouraged already for nothing..can anyone Answer this question for me? I got the referral from my PCP to st vincents..also what all does the physiologist ask u? Thanks for the replies.. Oh and will I have to do more weigh-ins at my dr? I've been doing them every month for like a year now..ok thanks..

I'm 12 weeks post op now and I wanted to answer the questions I couldn't before.

I feel great! I'm nearly 80 pound down, about half of that was lost post-op. I don't hurt as much' my BP and blood sugar are way lower and have been since 1 day post op. My biggest issue is that my BP is on the low low end of normal so I tend to get dizzy easily but its nothing that makes me regret the surgery :)

WTG!!

ANYONE????