Where is everyone?

Hello my friend in LA. How are you? Sorry I haven't been around. But life has been keeping me busy. With babysitting my little cousins, THen my cousin's wife mother past away this Monday. My grand has moved in with us. My aunts giving my poor mother greif about everything. Because all they want is money. Yet they won't help take care of my grandmother. I'm going to be leaving soon for training. In fact I'll me leaving a month from today. I can't wait! I thought I would just stop by and say hello to all and hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Maria

I've been quiet lately, I don't really have much to say... it's hard to be encouraging to others... considering that I am so very down. I'm going to die in this body, and there's no way out for me now. What's the use in doing this 6 mo thing... to change jobs (and insurance) in less than 6 mo, then have to start again, then change docs to start over, then have the insurance deny my surgery as "pre-existing" and then what?? IF it ever happened, it'd be years down the road... by then I'll have missed what it was I wanted most... my daughter's early childhood. I wish I could go back.... back to when I never considered it... when I accepted my life instead of wanting what I cannot be...

Hello, Kat. One thing I noticed when I started posting to this site was how encouraging you were for other people. You always seemed so bright and full of enthusiasm for everything. I hope that you are able to move past this moment of uncertainty and regain your hope. That is what you have lost...HOPE. I don't know the situation you are in with jobs or insurance...but it ain't over til its over. Pick yourself up and start kicking ass again, Kat. I am rooting for you! (((KAT))) T--resa

{{{{Kat}}}}} What happened that everything changed in two days? I thought all the ducks were lining up and you just had a few appointments to complete (psych and sleep study?). Now I'm confused. Why would you have a pre-existing condition if you did not have a lapse in insurance over 90 days? Isn't 90 days the golden rule? Gosh, I can't remember suddenly what the guidelines are. Haven't you had continuous insurance? Hugs, ~Vanessa

I'm actually supposed to have my sleep study tommorrow... I was all set to be on track... but I got a letter from my doctor in the postal mail... notifying me of the need for a psych test, and a 6 months supervised weight loss plan. What's happened is not all that unexpected for most people, a required 6 mo phyisician supervised weight loss plan... but for me, because my job is uncertain and changes every 3 months or so... it's pretty much not possible to plan ahead that far. Every thirteen weeks, I complete a contract and have to find another... July ends this one... sometimes they have another in my city, and sometimes they don't. If they don't, I will lose my current company (and insurance), not to mention the sole support for my family. I cannot plan ahead for 6 months because I am a temporary worker, at the whimsy of the hospitals... if there are no contracts in my area (or if I upset the wrong administrator) when this one is done, I am just screwed. Sure I can look for full time work as a nurse, but most insurance programs require several weeks if not months before the insurance will kick in... in the meantime the change of network means change of docs and starting over. Because I am unable to pay the excessive costs of COBRA (about $900/mo last job change) then I will have a lapse in coverage... and anything I wanted to do with WLS would be "pre-existing"... and at least with this company, it's any lapse in the last year... Guess it doesn't help that I'm PMSing, and I get hysterically depressed at this time anyway.

Hey there Kat {{{{{HUGS}}}}} Dont' give up! I know how you feel, all this hard work and then BOOM the other shoe dorps. I would say just pay the cobra until you get new coverage. I know it's a alot of money. But thing of the reward you are getting in return. As for the 6 months diet. That does happen to alot of people my insurance companies. They want you to give up so they won't have to pay for your weight lost. But the way I see it is like this: Say you're doing the darn diet. But don't follow it. In fact gain some more weight. Just don't give up. In fact try to find a way to fight the BS about the 6 months diet. Ask your doctor for help. I don't know how things work out down there. But I know that you can fight it up here in NYC and alot of people win the case. Also another way to get the surgery would be taking out a loan and paying for it yourself. I know it's alot of money. But if you want something bad enough. You'll find a way. Just don't give up kat! You have alot of people here that is cheering you on and loves you. Maria

Forgive me if I sound like an idiot....but why can't you submit a 6 mo supervised diet with one doctor even if you change insurance? If you see a PCP for this for three months then change insurance you might have to self-pay him to weigh you once a month for three more months but that would be less than $200 out of pocket for you. Then, you'll have your 6 month supervised diet. Have you spoken with the insurance company and explained the situation to them? Also, I know $900 a month is a lot for cobra but if you only had to do that for three months, have your surgery and then drop it, that's only $2700 out of pocket for a very expensive life-saving surgery. I have read that people have paid a $3,000 copay so that is not out of the ballpark. If you had to do cobra for three months, take out a loan if need be. Surely even $4,000 out of pocket would be worth it. I once saw an interview with a woman who self-paid for her WLS. She said, "We don't think anything about financing our car so why not finance your life?" From that moment, I was resolved that I would self-pay if I had to! I didn't have to for WLS but my plastics are NOT covered. I have exhausted all appeals and I am having $10,000 worth of surgery next month. We borrowed the money. I feel horrible about it but my husband (the wonderful man that he is) insists that I need this medically and so be it. Buy now, pay and worry later? I don't like it much but this is the way it is right now and so I will accept that b/c I'm not going to turn down his generous offer! Anyway, can we do some creative thinking and figure out how to make this happen? Let me know if I can help! ~Vanessa

My husband does not work, I am the sole support of my family. While my income is sufficient to meet needs, an additional $900/mo is just not possible. Loans are not possible for us either... I couldn't even finance a car if I wanted to. Thus we live in a rental, buying a home is not an option. As for using a different doc, I was under the impression that the insurance companies only accept records from doctors they have authorized as "in network"... No one specifically stated it, but that's based on my (limited) experience with insurance companies of patients. The only real option I can see at this point is to take a full time job on staff in August... and hope for better insurance. My current insurance isn't even all that good, since it only covers 70%. I'm just so confused as to what to do now... I DO want this, but I just can't figure it out... I had a plan and was ready to roll... even got the time off work for the late July surgery.... but no go.

I think you should call the insurance company and ask about the doctor supervised diet. It seems to me that it simply wouldn't matter as long as you're using a reputable doctor with current licensing, and no record of malpractice, etc. I believe there is a way for this to work out of you. I think we just need a bit more information. Ask 1,000 questions if that's what it takes. Also, I have found a lot of help by simply saying to someone at the insurance company or wherever, "This is my situation.....this is what I want..what do you recommend that I do?" Then, (this is the hard part for me) keep my mouth shut, listen, and take good notes! They know all the ins and outs and my understanding have to provide the information to you by law. I hope this helps. Have a piece of chocolate in the meantime. Wait..make that two -- one for me since I can't have it! Let me know, OK?

Yeah, I do need to do that, but it's the weekend now, so I get to climb the walls until Monday... Maybe they would count my first visit with the surgeon? If that's possible, I'd have a 6 week start on it!