Days To Go

Hi everybody. I know I don't post here very often and I feel bad about that. I chat on OH so much, that I forget about the KS page. ONLY 16 DAYS TO GO!!!!!! Now here's my worries........ First, my preop appointment is on Tuesday. Have you seen the weather forcast thru Monday??? Driving from Emporia to Topeka right after this "Big Weather" is making me nervous. Seems like someone is trying to tell me not to have surgery. Brief History to refresh your memories: Had surgery date in Chicago for Oct 15. It got canceled because of Insurance Glitch. Found new Dr in Topeka and got a surgery date for Jan 26th. It got reschedualed to February 16th because the Dr. decided to go out of town. So to me, it sure seems like there is some higher power trying to prevent surgery every time I get close. Now here's something else I did. I am second guessing myself of what I should have done regarding the following situation..... *When I got my 2nd letter from insurance, it stated that the "approval" for surgery was specific for Jan 26th, for Lap RNY, at St. Frances Hospital, for a 3 day stay. That any changes to this schedual, need to notify the insurance company. Well, I waited until Jan 26 to get a "new" revised letter from insurance. One didn't come. I wanted to make sure Dr. Steward's office had plenty of time to notify the Ins. Co. So I called the Ins. Co. on Jan 26th (original surgery date) to check if they had been notified of the date change. THEY HAD NOT. So I gave them the new date. Then they said they had to read me the disclaimer, which in a nutshell says 'because of the changes made to the original approval, I am subject to approval again and prior approval does not guarentee coverage." So I'm FREAKING OUT! Should I have left it completely up to the Dr. Office? I am sure they know more about the in's and out's of Insurance than I do. I should feel safe that they are susposed to know what they are doing. I KNOW what the letter said about notifying. I KNOW what they said on the letter, and I KNOW the Dr. office did not do it. So if I get rejected, what is that going to do to me emotionally? Will I get rejected?? Or will this just some time to get another letter? I sure don't want what happened in October (only 4 days to Go when it got canceled) to happen again and I can't help but worry. Did I do the right thing?

Debbie, Just to let you know.....I missed my pre-op appt. because of weather just like we are having now......an ice storm. It iced all night.....and because I was having anxiety about surgery, I heard every ice pebble hit the window that night....I hadn't slept a wink (that was the only night that happened). Anyway, there was no way I could go 3 hrs. to Topeka on ice-glazed roads with no sleep. I called the office and they told me they didn't have any openings between then an my surgery date. I was freakin' out. Well, you know how Dr. S is.....laid back except for the really important stuff.....I get a call back from the office and he said not to worry about the pre-op visit...he would just ask me all the questions he needed to right before surgery, which he did. It all worked out fine. Now I did need to reschedule my pre-op tests at the hospital.....and that was a piece of cake. They were totally acommodating. So if worse comes to worse, I don't think it will be a problem. As for the insurance issue, I would contact the office first thing Mon. morning, tell them your dilemma and ask that they resubmit for approval on your new date ASAP. I would notify the ins. office that it is coming (hopefully by FAX) and then, I would call them every day until they told you they had it and then that it was approved. I doubt that a second approval will be a big problem, but I would stay on top of it, for sure. It will be here soon! Let us know how it all works out. Jenni PS- I found out I was Dr. S's 181st pt. and at my month post-op, they were already at 202.

Good morning Debbi: Well, I,too am watching the weather, but according to NOAH weather--the worst is yet to come. I am sure that those great guys that clear our roads will know that we have to get to Topeka on Tuesday morning, and they will have our way clear. I will meet you at your house before 8 am, and we should be on our way, I know that angels will be riding with us, you have lots of room in the SUV. Have you decided on a place to have lunch yet? Just keep a positive outlook, and dress warmly, See you Tuesday morning, Hugs, Ginny