Very Lengthy Process

I am new here! I began the actual physical process to have surgery back in September of this year. I have no serious health issues other than being between 120 and 150 pounds overweight. I am getting frustrated about all of the appointments I have had without even having a surgery date scheduled or an insurance ok. I am going through the Cleveland Clinic, which is a Center for Excellence. I have had psychological consults, nutrition consults, physicals, EKG, x-rays, and I still have not been cleared. I have another appointment with Nutrition and Psych on Jan 11th. Hoping to be cleared then. Have no mental illness, even have a therapist set up to help me through the whole process. I guess I am asking how long all of this usually takes? I would have the surgery tomorrow if I could! Thanks! -Karen

I am also going through the Cleveland Clinic with a surgery date of 12/29. I started the process in July and received insurance approval in December. They will not give you a surgery date until all of your appointments are complete and your insurance approves the surgery. I would think that 6 months is normal from start to finish. Hope this is helpful. Angela

Karen, I'm going through OSU Bariatrics and they are having me do the same song and dance you're doing. They say I'm under evaluation for surgery. I've done the psyc eval and am seeing a therapist per their request, met with nut, just finished a required 12 week WLP. I'm meeting with my PCP next week to see if he's done the work he was supposed to do for me (send in the rest of the info they requested). I'm kind of getting bummed out about the whole thing. Hopefully you hear from them soon! Good Luck! Peggy

I am from the Columbus area and I am researching surgery as an option. I attended a seminar at Riverside - Fresh Start Bariatrics, a new program. They walk you through the whole thing and push the insurance company. They also have a psychologist on staff and a nutritionist. Does this sound similar to OSU ? Then only obstacle that I have found so far is that the surgeon is not covered on my insurance. He is in the process of filing with Anthem.

I debated about Riverside's new program. I am familiar with Riverside Hospital, having been there before. But, i hated to start the program all over again and you just answered one of my biggest questions, Dr. Meyers isn't with BCBS. I have a feeling the reason they require all of this is because the insurance company will require all of this information. I think I started my process in June and had my psyc and nut evaluations July 7th. Then I got a letter from them in Aug. stating that I had to take a supervised WLP, 12 weeks or longer. I finally found one starting in October in Bucyrus, Just finished that. Now I've got to get a new pulmonary test done and hopefully they will accept my cardiology info from 4 yrs. ago, I haven't had any problems with that. I'm going to start getting cold feet if this doesn't happen soon. Let me know what you decide Maureen. Peggy

Thank you for your replies! I shouldn't be so impatient. I certainly appreciate that they want to make sure that we are as safe and knowledgable as possible. I guess I am just sour grapes because it seems like they zoom the out of town folks through the process, but the same cannot be dome for those in town. I understand that they try to save the out of towners trips, but it is difficult for me to get babysitters, pay for parking (outrageous at CCF) and/or have husband take off at work so that I can spend hours at a time meeting with the nutritionist and psychologist. I guess I just feel prepared because I have researched this option for years and I have witnessed my father go through the process. (His was much different, much, much faster...but it was a different time, I guess.) I am so greatful that people are here to listen and give feedback about all of these issues! -Karen:-D

Hi Karen don't get discouraged I started my journey in 2004 of Nov, I had to set up many appointments I had a pulmonary function test, Barium swallow, cat scan of the stomach, two psych evaluations and to top it all off my insurance required me to have six months of medically supervised visits with the nutritionist. Yes I had to see the nutrioinist once a month and I had to have a diary of of everything I ate for each month that's the documentation that the nutritionist send to the insurance company...and I had three visist with my surgeon and on the third visit I received my date so this is a lengthy process so when I found out about the six months dietician visits I scheduled them right away I'm glad that my surgeon has a dietician who works with her that made it easy....I just looked at it like how bad do you want the surgery and I wanted it really bad so I did everything the insurance required without any delay I stayed focused so everything went really smooth i finished all my appointement on 8/24/05 and the surgeon submitted everything to my insurance company and they called me back in a week and told me I was approved for the surgery and I went back to the surgeon 9/18/05 and I was scheduled for 10/31/05 Halloween!!!!!!...So don't get discouraged because if you stop and don't be consistent you will have to start the process all over again......I now it's long but stay focused and it won't seem very long and I also was going to support groups with patient who was post-op and pre-op and that help also hearing about their journey and how the surgery have effected their lives and just me everyone who attends the support groups has the same story about what they had to do to get approval.....

Karen, I'm going thru St. Vincent Charity and my process started first week in June and got my surgery date for lap band 2/22/07. Personally, I think they do all of this kinda as a CYA for them so you don't croak on the operating table, but also to see how serious you are that you want this. My friend at work started her process on same DAY and had lap RNY @ end of November this year! Granted I think my hang up was that I have depression & OCD(GEEZ, I'm 120 pounds overweight, that MAY have something to do with it) and the shrink I was seeing notified me that she "doesn't see bariatric patients" AFTER I told her I was interested in the surgery. Well, it took 2 MONTHS to see a shrink that does, then HE had to assess me, and FINALLY things got submitted to insurance, a few days later, got approval. I wish you luck, just be patient!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I have had anxiety and depression, not much different than most people nowadays, I would guess. The psychologist I origionally saw is with the Clinic, we HAVE to see their psychologists. Then I set up my own outside to get me through the whole ordeal. (In case I do become very depressed afterwards or anything.) BUT I still have to continue to consult with the Clinic shrin****il she declares me "cleared". I would think that by setting up my own counseling, being willing to look at the possibility that I will become depressed after surgery, etc. would prove that I am a good candidate, but who knows. Good news today in that I actually have an appointment to see the surgeon this Friday. I haven't met him yet. I am hoping he will shed light on the past 3 months and let me know about when I can expect to have surgery so my husband can request time off, I can arrange sitters, etc. Thanks again for all of your feedback! -Karen

It is tough. I had surgery at CCF this past Nov. I have been going to the support groups there since Sept. From what i have learned your story is pretty normal. It all partially seems to depend on your insurance. I was lucky and managed to start my journey wtih the orientaton in August and surgery in NOv. I really lucked into most of my appointments. Such as my sleep study was scheduled for 4 days afterI called to set up appt. due to a cx by someone else. One good thing is that as soon as they have insurance approval they schedule surgery for normally within a month. Hope this info helps. kim