Approved
Called my insurance today and found out I am approved. BCBS requires a 6 month doctor supervised diet and I am surprised I was approved so soon. My paper work was sent in 8/2 and a letter of approval sent out 8/10. My only problem is I don't know which surgery I want to have. One day it is lap band and the next the bypass. Pray for me to decide soon. Thanks,
Gloria
I wish you all the best in making the decision between the two surgeries for yourself and a speedy recovery afterwards...Sharon 
Congrads Gloria for being approved. What all do you know about the two types of surgeries. The lap band allows you to eat whatever you want only in smaller portions, and the expected weightloss is 1-2 lbs a week. The bypass allows you to only eat real small portions, you lose weight faster and larger quanities. You are trained to eat healthy foods to loss the excess weight and to maintain it. So it depends how much you want to lose or how long you want to take to lose the weight. I wish you much success in your decision. May you make the best choice for you.
May God travel with you on your journey. Love Kathy
Gloria,
I am "thrilled" to hear that you were approved by BCBS, because I have an appointment with my surgeon on 8/30/05, for my initial consult and I have BCBS also. Could you tell me why they did not make you wait the 6 mo period. I have tried several "physician supervised" diets and been unsuccessful, but they have not been in the last 6 mo, so I was hoping you could give me some pointers on how to document them, so that BCBS would understand that I would rather not wait "another" 6 mo to start getting my "new" life in motion.
Shirley
How did you bypass the 6 month requirement. I have been under a doctor's care for over 2 years regarding health issues and weight. I have seen him twice this year. Once in February and once this week. But I see him about every 4 months....do you think this will qualify as my 6 months since it has been this way for over 2 years.....he documents my weight each time and we discuss my diet each time, along with my other problems.....I am so nervous about submitting it to BCBS POS. Any words of encouragement would be nice.
Lisa,
I do not know why I did not have to do the 6 months supervised diet. My PCP always documented my weight but never anything about the diet I was on at that time. When I gave my records to Dr. Colquitt there was a form from LA Weight Loss where I had joined this year. A friend at church told me to write a bridf history of myself and turn it in to Dr. Colquitt. I don't know if they submitted it to my insurance or not. I began with my birth weight. At 6 months of age I weighed 30 pound. Was not overweight but always the tallest in my class in elementary school. My weight problem came after the birth of my first child. At that time my thyroid was extremely low. Then I listed all the diets I had been on for 40 years and how much weight I lost and regained. I am 62 years old and my mother died at 62 from a heart attack and I added that also and I did not want that to happen to me.
My husband worked for the state of TN and our insurance is BCBS PPO. I emailed them and ask for the guidelines for the surgeries. They did email me back and the 6 months think is a requirement. I have also talked to them several times and they always told me that also.
The only reason I can think of would be that I have to have my gallbladder removed soon. The first of June it was functioning 23%. It wasn't bothering me so much at that time so I started working toward the bypass since it can be done at the same time. I have been just waiting for approval on the bypass. I am so uncomfortable at this time I had decided to have it out and wait on bypass. But since I am approved I will go ahead with both. I don't know if the office included the gallbladder info or not. To do both at the same time would be a money savings for them as well as less risk for me. I do know that my insurance approves on a case by case basis.
Will write more later.
Gloria
Hi Gloria! That is awesome that you received approval from BCBS so soon. I thought that the approval had to be specific for the type of surgery so you may want to check to make sure it will pay for either one. I've heard conflicting info about BCBS & coverage of the lap band - but of course it depends on your employer's specific BCBS plan. I saw on your profile that Dr. Colquitt is your surgeon - I'm scheduled for him to do my lap band surgery next month. I know what you mean about the decision as to the type of WLS - I went through that also at the beginning. Be sure to do your research - this website along with others are a great resource! Since you are undecided I recommend that you attend both the RNY and a Lap band support group meeting at Blount Memorial if you haven't already to help you with your decision. Best of luck in your journey & hopefully I'll meet you someday since we have the same surgeon!
Stephanie,
I have done so much research on these two surgeries I think that is why I am having trouble making up my mind. When I weigh the pros and cons of each they are about even. My greatest concern with gastric is leakage (inside) at the op site. I am a nurse and I know all the concerns of this type of surgery. But with the lap band I don't know that I want to keep having to have it adjusted. It seems to me this would be like starting over all the time. I haven't attended the lecture on lap band yet but will do so in September. Thanks for the encouragement.
Gloria
I'm not for sure when the next lap band lecture is but the lap band support group meeting is always the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Diabetes Education classroom on the 4th floor of the hospital. I'll be on travel for the Sept. meeting so will have to miss it. Either surgery you choose, I think you will be very happy with Dr. Colquitt. He did my husband's lap band last month and nursing staff at the hospital could not say enough good things about him and that his patients (RNY and lap band) have had great success.
You must have a good fairy watching over you. :fairy
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