Road block after road blovk

 It seems like every step I take forward I get pushed back 100. I made the choice to us surg assoc back in Aug when I found out my husbands insurance would cover the wls. I was so exicited. I went to my meeting filled out the paperwork and waited on my first appt. I called the Dr's office and asked what all I could do ahead of time. I had my ecco, the ekg, seen the pulmonoligist, (he wants a sleep apnea test, This appt is jan 7th) will have my psych eval soon. and I even got my consult date Nov 21 st for the dr and the dieticin. Things where going so good. Than bam roadblock one my husbands employer lays off 850 people, sjuts down 30 stores nation wide, cuts hours from 60 a week to 25-30 this was 3 weeks before my dr apt. I still had a full time jop at one hopital and a prn position at another. The following week I lost my full time job and my prn job dodn't have any fuyll time openings. I claaed and changed my appt date to dec 29th. Well  another roadblock comes up, my prn position (I can schedule to work as many days as i want but i am not guarnteed any hours. 1 week i worked 12 the next 36 so it changes all the time) the hospital lays of 160 people cuts jobs and allows no overtime and annonces they are in a bad finacial position and it is hard to keep open. This is one of the largest hopitals in the local area.  Going to the dr appt is not the problem it is paying the 437.00 upfront fee and the 180.00 fee to the dieticin, even though my insurance will pay for everything but 60.00. I had no choice but to cancel my appt and try later. I was talking to my pcp and she suggested I call Dr gorospe. I did I called his office and spoke to a really nice lady in his office and she said he does charge a 200.00 up front fee but this is better than 437.00. I would have to go to his free information meeting and than he would see me in his office in 1-2 weeks. This sounds great but I don't know much about Dr Gorospe can anyone fill me in on him?

Sorry such a long post I just needed to vent..........................
Christina

There are several people here who have used Dr. Gorospe, I have my surgery scheduled Jan. 12th with him.  The 200.00 fee is to do all of your paperwork and write your letter of medical necessity and deal with insurance.  I would think that the healthcare field would be one of those recessionproof jobs.  When you go to the seminar (free) you'll find out quite a bit about Dr. Gorospe.  He was the first surgeon in the state to do Lap RNY, he's the presient of the Oklahoma chapter of Bariatric and Metabolic surgeons.  The hospital he is at now built a bariatric wing for him and things there are geared to the bariatric patient.  Bailey Medical Center is applying for their Center of Excellence.

Thanks for the info. Congrats on your surgery date. I thought healthcare was recession proof to but it's not, heres why there are so many people loseing there jobs and insurance that they are useing the er more and more freq. since they are useing the er hopitals can not turn them away. I mean no disrespect to anyone by what I am saying its just I know the downside from both sides. People are comeing to the er for things such as colds that people with insurance see there doctor for. One trip to the er cost around 500-800.00 when 100 people do this it adds up and the hopital has to take the amt charged as a loss. But over the past several years people are loseing there health insurance at record numbers and more and more hopital bills are not being paid. so in turn the hopital has to make up the diffrence somewhere. CNA and the nurse don't get there yearly cost of living raises, no overtime layoffs no equipment upgrades, no new employees. We have 2 big local hopitals each employees about 3,000 people and they just can't affored to hire any new nurses (even if they need them) both hopitals are on a hireing freeze untill things get better. Really the only work in healthcare is at a nurseing home. (pay is 7.00 for a cna 6.75 for a na 12.00 for a lpn and around 18-20.00 for a rn. The medical insurance for a cna per month for a family is around 500 per month. i know it sucks huh)

Sorry but I forgot to ask you a few questions. How long did it take you to get your first appt with him after you attended the seminar and how long after the insurance approved the surgery did it take them to set a date?  I know my insurance company said it would take 30days at the most to approve the surgery but it would prob be done in 2 weeks

Weight Wise has a free seminar to help you decide  which procedure you would like to choose and you can ask any questions you would or need to ask at that time. They are great about spending time to answer those questions.
You don't have to use either doctor, but if you would like to sign up with them you can. I won't say there aren't other fees but from what I have heard Weight Wise is the most resonable price. They are great doctors too.  I honestly think that you should attend one of the seminars and start from there.....There are requirements of other medical tests,up to 10% of your body weight loss, Psyc. evaluation, Nutrition classe, Diet class, Exercise class, sleep studies, labs, cardio clearance, EGD's, all if necessary are added costs. For a Gastric Sleeve, the price is 12500, but the other costs are those other items mentioned. Some other doctors are close to 20,000 for the same surgery. So it varies and it is worth checking into. I will say that from what I have read on here, each Dr. is great, so the price does not mean better or lesser quality of Doctor.
I am the roadblock queen, and at first It was so hard....My surgery will be soon now so waiting has become nothing but time to get my house in order and time to meditate on my future. It sounds like your surgery will happen sooner than you think....You will be starting your new life soon....You will look back on all these obsticles and laugh at how hard you had to work for what you wanted so bad and it will all will have been worth it!! I wish you luck on your path to this dream! I have been waiting since June and I am still ok.....
Stay in touch with us....we can be cheerleaders for you!
Sherry

My first appointment to see Dr. Gorospe was within a month of the seminar, I think it was about 3 weeks.  It took my insurance over 6 weeks to approve me, but once I had the approval the office set my date within a couple of days, however it was scheduled for about 6 weeks out.  During the time between the date being set and surgery I'm having all of my testing done so I'm staying busy and the time is going by fast.

I feel ya on the hospital stuff.  That's exactly what is going on... Several metro hospitals are laying people off.  The other thing that changed in October is Medicare reimbursements.  Once again, lower.  It's very scary at the moment.  I  too thought healthcare was recession proof.  Yikes!!

Wow, it sounds like you have a lot going on.  Keep working on the WLS, because it's a life saver, but don't become so obsessed with it that that's all you see.  I think that can be a temptation in these trying economic times.  Also, don't use your quest as an excuse to give in to comfort eating, etc. because that will only make your road harder in the long run.  What you can do KNOW is improve your eating habits with the quality of food, and then when you get your surgery, the quantity will no longer become an issue.

It is frustrating, there a lot of hoops to jump, but it is so worth the effort, so pat yourself on the back for starting the process.