I have my first appointment scheduled!

Hi everyone! I was so excited yesterday to find out that I am scheduled for my first appointment! However, today things got more tense. When I called the bariatric center about my appointment I found out that cigna was going to no longer authorize this surgery in 2005! The only ray of hope I have is that my husbands policy is not renewed until March so I should still be under the old plan if they can get me in on time! The Bariatric Center said they are trying to help those out whose insurances are changing. Since my pcp has been so good about getting tests done in advance, I have a chance of making it before my husbands policy changes. Wish me luck everyone! I hate to think I went this far only to have the door slammed in my face! Thanks to all those wonderful insurance companies! I get so frustrated that some insurance company decides your fate and how you will have to live your life! I wouldn't put it past them to delay authorizing this procedure just to get me to pass the deadline! I also worry about all those other people who have not gotten this far and are already losing their ray of hope! This is soooo sad I hope somehow changes can be made so that people can get the healthy and happy lives they all deserve. I think insurance agents should be forced to carry around 100+ pounds a day to know how we feel! I think they are actually misinformed. When I talked to an insurance agent she thought this was "cosmetic" surgery! Goes to show you how educated the people are that make decisions about your future! Enough venting - Take Care Everyone!

Lisa you never said when your first appoinment is or where or who the surgeon is, I want all the details. Seriously, even though I rarely post now, I do try to keep up with people. I would like to hear how things are going in your journey as well as everyone elses. Good luck! Theresa

Sorry about forgetting to list my first appointment date! Got lost in all the insurance problems! My first appointment is for November 29th. I meet the dietician. social worker and the doctor. My doctor is Dr. Wolff. She works with Dr. Cobean at the Maine Bariatric Center. However, I am in the battle with insurance now. Cigna is dropping Gastric Bypass Surgery effective 2005. I thought I may be O.K. because my husbands insurance does not renew until March and the Bariatric Center felt they could get me in before then. However, Cigna notified me that my husbands employer accepted the change to be effective on the 1st of the year. I said I did not think they could do that because the insurance was contracted thru 2/28. I got no response. I called my husbands employer and the woman who handles the claims is out on vacation. However, the woman that works with her thought that was strange - so it may be just cigna trying to get out of this before I can have my date. I do have Medicare secondary but they won't pay if Cigna won't. If I had Medicare alone they would qualify me based on my medical problems and my BMI. So I will try to fight Cigna in hopes to have this surgery fully covered. If I am unsuccessful, then I have to decide whether or not we can afford me going off my husbands plan for a year and just being insured thru medicare! That for me is so risky and I could go into details but it would take forever to explain. Anyway, I will fight and hope for the best. Other than that I am not sure what to do. Thanks for inquiring. Lisa