newbie, wants surgery!

hi everyone! i'm so excited about wls i wake up thinking about it everyday. i have medicare and medicaid so my insurance might actually pay for it! i'm 5'6 250 and i finally got a pcp. my first appointment with him is sept. 25. he's actually a dr. at hurley bariatrics so he isnt adverse to wls! his name is dr. minasian in grand blanc. anyone know him? i have a consulation with dr. obeid, the actual weight loss surgeon on holloween. i just wanted to introduce myself since i'm looking around OH everyday. if anyone has any encouragement or advice about how to get RNY through hurley please let me know. or if anyone knows anything about medicare approval. thankyouuu! sincerely, sarah

Hi, Sarah. I had surgery at Hurley in Aug of 05. My surgeon is Dr. Farhan. I don't have Medicare, but my insurance covered the surgery and the process through Hurley, as I experienced it, went very smoothly. I had my consultation in April and surgery in August. Had Dr. Farhan not been on vacation for the month of the July, I probably could've had it even sooner. But I'm not complaining. I've been nothing but pleased with my experience at Hurley. Good luck! Glad to see you posting! Keep us posted on your progres. Tina

wow that's the fastest process i've ever heard of!

Hello Sarah! I am going to have my surgery through Hurley as well, my doctor is Dr. Farhan. I also have medicare and medicaid. From what I have found out, Medicare requires you to have 6 months of docutmented weight loss attempts with a physician, they also require the psych eval to be an MMPI-2 and of course there are the BMI requirements. From what I know, as long as you meet their requirements, there is not pre-approval. Medicare does not do pre-approvals anymore. If you meet the requirements (which Hurley will determine) then you are a go for surgery. I have to have mine submitted for approval only because I have insurance that is primary through my husbands employer. So I have to be denied by them (which I will because they have an exclusion policy), then as long as I meet the requirements I will get my date. That is what I was told when I called them last Friday. So..... That sums it up I beleive. If you have any questions about it feel free to email me and I will let you know anything else that you may need to know, if I know it. Good Luck with your journey. Shawn McGeachy

i'm so excited for you! keep me posted!

Thanks.... you keep me posted too on how things are going for you. Shawn McGeachy

HI Sarah, Welcome to the OH board. If you want surgery, then Dr Minasian was the best choice for a PCP! He is the doctor who gives the pre-op exams so he is the one who calls all the shots as to whether u get the surgery or not. Lots of people who have had WLS has switched to him as thier PCP because he knows the correct after care. Good luck Sarah! De

wow i didnt know that, De! i asked hurley when i called for my surgery consult who would be a good pcp but i didnt know he was that closely connected. now i'm even more nervous to talk to him. that's great about the after care knowledge because he's like a mile from my house. sweeet. i cant believe i'm actually having the guts to follow through with my dream. thankyou so much for posting.