OHsu

Has anyone here used OHSU for their surgery? I am so disappointed with them I could scream. I've been working with them for about 5 months now. When I went to the class that they make everyone take they said that the people sitting in the class should be able to be in surgery within 6 weeks. Yea, right. It took me that long to get an appointment with the Nurse practitioner. I'd already been to my PCP and he had given me his blessing. Well the NP wanted a few more tests. One was a mobility test for my acid reflux, It was 6 more weeks out. I went on the 3rd of January for it, appraently it is a 2 part test, one which involves a little capsule that they place in you to measure the acid. Well they didn't have that capsule, so they were going to call me in a week or so to me in for it. After a week had passed I started calling and leaving messages. No call back!!!! Last Thursday I called the Physician's office to complain, the next day the other Dr's office called me back to tell me that another patient had dropped the monitor in the toilet and they had to wait to get another one before they could do my test, which now puts me at March 3rd. I have an insurance issue. I got laid off from my job and am now on Cobra, I have a new job in which the insurance kicks in in March, the problem is I'm told that the new insurance doesn't cover WLS. So therefore I am up a crick without a paddle. I don't even know for sure if I would be covered on the old insurance, but I do know that they don't have an exclusion. I tried to get the Drs office to get me prequalified so that I would know if I should at least try to keep the Cobra insurance to the tune of about $600/mo. The OHSU drs office will not send me for prequalification until I have that test done. I am so mad!!! I am now looking at other Dr's offices but I am afraid that I might have to self-pay. This is so upsetting. But I'm telling you one thing, if I do have to self-pay (and maybe if I don't know) OHSU will NOT get MY money. I will give it to someone else!!!!!

Hi Robin, I had just sent another member my concerns about the testamonies of the surgons from there ,they spoke of after the surgerys they didn't see their doctor, that someone else came arround and at the 1 to 3 hr waits they had for appt. It just seemed after wards, you just weren't important enough anymore. But I did read some ,that they were pleased with things, even if the bedside manners weren't all that great. I am hoping to get my surgery done at Lagacy,as thats what they told me when I said I would be going thru Medicare, because they will now pay for it, if they are Excellant approved which they are . Eugene has not been approved yet and may not be for a year.I did go to the meeting last month. I called Portland, and their booking into March and I have not been called yet. They said they had 80 people in line. So sorry, to hear about your run arround, I sure hope I don't have to go thru that. Jo Ann

Hi Robin, Sorry for your run around. I've been working with OSHU also, have you done your appt with the nutrittionist and the phy eval yet? They told me after all was done they turn it into your ins co. and that usally takes 30-45 days depending your ins and then when they get your approval. They set you up with a date for surgery, about 3 to 4 weeks out. In between this span you have your last lab and meet with the surgeon and to expect to be there about 4 hours or so. They said that is if all goes well with the last lab. I'm still waiting for my ins co. I hope this helps and again this is what I was told, I have been there to tell you for sure. CJ

Robin, I'm really sorry to hear about the problems you're having. I went thru OHSU for my surgery in January. I didn't have any problems with delays from them, but had those same frustrations from physicians on the coast. I decided from the beginning to take control of all the testing I would need to have and schedule all of my appointments as soon as possible. There was the dietician, the sleep study, the psychologist, the NP... etc... Well on my end it was the sleep study that held me up for almost 6 months, and that was because of the doctors and labs where I live. Quite honestly I think that the delays are just part of the hurdle... the struggle to lose the weight. Have you tried checking out different labs to do the test you need if that is your major hold up? Regarding COBRA, (I work in insurance, don't hate me :P) I would investigate your old plan to make sure what their criteria is for covering the surgery. You can call them and ask specifically under what cir****tances it is covered, and what tests and stuff they require to approve the surgery. Once you have the criteria, work it like a check list... get the stuff done. I know $600 a month is a lot, but compared to $30000-40000 for the surgery, if you can swing it, it would be worth it. If I can help, give me a yell... hope you get things sorted and they speed up their act. Michele

Thanks for the information. Can you tell me, since you are in insurance (I don't hate you, I u/w mortgage loans, people hate me sometimes too) Can I be covered by both Cobra AND my insurance thru my new employer at the same time?