medicaid and wls in louisiana

Hi, my name is Imanie.I wanted to know if theres anyone that can help me?I need wls and my insurance is medicaid ,and I live in lafayette,louisiana.Do anyone know of a baitriac surgeon,that takes medicaid?For wls.Please help me!!!I need help!e-mail me [email protected]

Hi Imanie, This process is just as frustrating as it seems to be. Pre-Katrina there was a good set of Medicaid options in New Orleans and people traveled there from other parts of the state. Since Katrina, some doctors take Medicaid on a case-by-case basis or a few have made exceptions to not accepting it. I know of two doctors for sure taking Medicaid. Dr. O in Covington is limiting his Medicaid patients to St. Tammany Parish and Dr. Louis Martin will accept Medicaid if the patient has another form of insurance in addition to Medicaid. There is a new program in Zachary at Lane Memorial Hospital and that hospital does accept Medicaid. I couldn't get from the girl who answered the phone if they accept Medicaid. There's a meeting next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and I think I'm going to have to show up to ask these questions. In the meantime, I have some calls into local surgeon's offices and I plan to call folks in Shreveport and Lake Charles to see if someone can help me reach a body at Medicaid to see if they can help us get more doctors designated for Medicaid bariatric patients. I wish I had an answer for you, but since Katrina, we are really stuck behind a rock a hard place. My guess is that there's no one else accepting it, but maybe we can get some surgeons to take on a few limited cases. I can make no promises, but I am trying. Don't give up! Frances

actually Dr. O is not taking Medicaid at all. He at first was going to just take St. Tammany residents, but I found out he stopped taking it all together.

Hi Diane do you know anyone whose taking medicaid,please help me.I need all the help I can get!! keep me posted [email protected]

This is your lucky day!!! Right there in Lafayette is Drs. Chu, Stevens and Cunninghom. I just had wls 12/18/06. I do not have medicaid, but I know someone who does. She had her surgery 1/08/07. Here is a link to their website. http://www.sswmc.com/ Good luck!!!