Ok since SO MANY have ASKED... our appointment

NO KIDDING.  Our insurance ROCKS!  this I know.

i'm just tired trying to schedule all these appointments...

I love this office as well, and I don't even see DVR!  My primary is in the building as well as my NUT and surgeon!  Like you said, it is do convenient to work!!

Glad to hear it went well!  Emotionally how does Brian feel about surgery now?  However I don't think reality will hit until you see Sloane (assuming that is the NUT)

Hmm wondering why I didn't have to have a venous doppler of the legs... No idea, not going to worry about it, I only have 7 days before my surgery day and I don't have time to schedule anything else!  I am appointmented out already!  I did get my chest xray and last blood work done today, so as long as it comes back okay, I am good to go!

Question... Why do you have a insurance coinsurance?  Actually maybe a better question is, what is that?  I was thinking deductible...  I *HATED* that after I got my first appoints with the surgeon and was ready to apply we got new insurance, but I am LOVING the "so called" sucky plan MicroTech went with now!  I may have a $250 per year deductible, but my surgery is covered completely... no $500 payment the day of surgery and then costs billed from anyone else!  They would have covered my NUT and Psych even, which Carefirst would not!

Lesson learned, don't complain about what you don't like until you know more!  But now I feel compelled to learn more about insurance!

Congrats on making that first step!!  Did ya go see who my husband is? LOL

I think Bri feels better about it.  he meets with Ranessa next week... oy.

i dont' have to have the Venous doppler thing either.  Brian has venous insufficieny and hence severe leg edema they just want to see how bad it is and make sure he has no deep vein thrombosis.  

our insurance is FEP-BC/BS  opens tons of doors.

we have a copay  i think that the co-inusrance is actually the 'catastrophic'  for the family and that means that after 5k we are done paying...  if only Plastic surgery will be covered that way too!

My edema isn't severe enough to warrant that thankfully I guess! :)

Hmm... so you do have to pay out of pocket for the 5K... maybe I am glad Lee hasn't become a Fed... I have had total with doctors co-pays a total of $685 for surgery...  $300 for NUT and Psych approval, and $60 for six month supervised weight loss co-pays which was under BCBS Carefirst so I would not have had that under the Guardian plan...  Under Guardian I have paid $30 to the surgeon for 3 visits, $10 to my PCP for pre-op physical and $250 for a CPAP machine because I was forced to do a sleep study and to find out I have sleep apnea...

Guessing I can't really count the $250 for the CPAP LOL

we have to pay 15% of the fee as approved by BCBS  (so if they approve 17,000 we pay 2550 per person for the fee.  
we have to pay 200 for the hospital
20 for the first office visit
775 covers the program with sloane and the psych (before surg. and for a year after)
no idea what we will pay for a CPAP machine or the other copays


the 5k is the family maximum I have to pay for the year...

That sounds much worse than mine... but for your health it is definately worth it!!!

Good luck!!!

but what i love is i can

a. go to any doctor i want at any time
b. most copays are $20.00  or minimal at best
c.  we are assured of approval and not having to fight to have surgery
d. we dont' have 6 months of dieting


what i do have right now is a STUPID husband who can't figure out why he has to have a psych eval.

and i'm starting to think he won't lose his 25 pounds (on purpose but subconscously) so that he does not have to go through with the surgery.   oh well easier for me then to do it.

I love the stuff you have as well!  This was why I hated guardian at first...  But I have come to love it... at least for now!  They also allow ALOT more meds to be approved the BCBS which I find weird!

The psych eval was a breeze!  They just want to make sure you are able to make the right choices, mostly that you have the ability to, not that you will...  That you understand the changes and that you will need vitamins the rest of your life...

Starve him.. Start tonight and throw out all junk food and refuse to bring more in!  For everything HE brings in, toss it the first chance you get...  Make him exercie as much as he can... Losing the first pounds in this journey are the hardest -- I am losing mine on the liquid diet, and I have to admit, it sucks.  The threat of having to do a liquid diet if he doesn't lose them might do the trick! LOL

now the junk food is going.  I did pack him less of a lunch.  I bet if he loses 20 DvR will take it.

I know Sloane will be happy and I know he can do it.

as for EXERCISE... with 2 club feet (and one ankle fused at age 18) and a chronicly broken coxcyx that won't heal till he gets some weight off... exercise is minimal at best.

You might add the protein shakes in... Just because protein builds muscle, which leads to a higher metabolism, etc, etc.

Exercise can be simply moving his arms while you watch tv... or walking to get something because you refuse, etc. doesn't have to be alot at first... 

I totally know his pain and suck at exercising... My goal right now is to NOT park in the closest parking space...

As for you... You could always park in the contractor lot at work *Grins*