Missouri consolidated health/Mercy Health plans

I am wondering if anyone has ever been approved for wls through this plan?  I am a state employee in Sw Mo.  Any feedback would be appreciated.

I have been. I had surgery April 7, 2009. I work for the State of MO and have Mercy insurance.

How long did it take you to get approved?  Did you really like Dr. De La Torre.  I went to a semiar in Columbia in March and I was not impressed at all.  It felt like they were herding cattle in and out. 

It took a little over a year (March 2008-April 2009). Once I did all Mercy and MO Consolidated asked and it was submitted to Mercy, it took less than 24 hours for them to approve it.
I only met Dr. de la Torre once which was a week before surgery. You will not see him much at all. He doesn't do any of your post-op stuff either. He knows his stuff but isn't really personal.

Had you done any of the dr visits, or other weight loss things like Weigh****chers before you started the process?  I have been seeing my pcp for 9 months now and have been on WW for about five months.

I went to the seminar in March 2008. Then I had to start the 6 month medically supervised diet. You might want to see if what you have been doing with your PCP will count as a medically supervised diet. I had done diets at other places but I was short 1 1/2 months. So I had to do Weigh****chers at the same time I was doing the 6 month medically supervised diet. Keep in mind you also have to lose 10% of your weight while doing the diet as well.

Thanks so much for the information.