board lurker - neighbor from the east

Hi all. I'm Denise from the western Arkansas border. Been lurking here since making my 'short list' for potential DS surgeons. Until the end of August, we'd planned to have Dr. Clark Warden as surgeon for the DS that I want so badly I can taste it. My husband is MO too and we would really like to have surgery close together. His office and hospital are on the edge of New Orleans, and I haven't heard anything about how their situation is. One of the reasons I chose him (after weeding out docs without enough experience or with unhappy patients) is that he is in-network with DH's insurance company. That good news is tempered by the fact that our coverage- which, BTW, is hospital-owned (I never get over the outrage at such hypocrisy) excludes WLS. At any rate, I've decided to try a new tack on seeking DS. I haven't been employed or in the SS system for 20 years, but finding employment with a company that will at least cover WLS (I can always fight for DS) seems to be the next strategy. Getting help through Arkansas Rehab because I don't have any special skills so could only do 'labor' type jobs, and yet mobility is getting to be a more critical issue day by day. If they can help me get into a weight loss program and deal with the orthopedic things that keep me from having the stamina to hold a 40 hour job, there will be new hope. I could lose 50lbs, which would help a lot as far as feeling better, and still be well qualified for wls. I've discovered that most Federal employees are covered for WLS - at least for RNY and some have fought to get their DS. So it will be a Federal job that I'm looking for. I'd heard that Home Depot's insurance covers it too, but can't find anything to substantiate that matter. One thing I COULD bring to the table is an abilty and love for any work relating to landscaping and plants - HoDe and the like are always looking for certified Master Gardeners. All that to get to my question: I had a 'short list' of possible DS docs - Dr. Husted in Nashville, which is about 7 hours from here, and Dr. Gary Anthone in Nebraska were the other two docs on that list. How long does it take to get into him, once you have approval? Does Dr. Husted's office take Federal insurance programs? Are they in-network for any of them? How much help does the office staff give you while fighting the insurance co? Husted has enormous respect on the DS list - he'd be a great choice, but of course it's all moot if the insurance questions don't fall into place. Denise in Ark

My Hubby is a Fed. Emp. and we have BC/BS Fed. Standard and NO Dr. Husted is not in-network for any insurances at all!! But he has one EXCELLENT insurance person in Ellen Bell. She can get almost anything approved!! I will let you know if I get approved for a revision to a partial DS from an "ol' timey" stomach stapling from back in 1982. But I do know that Ellen has gotten several BC/BS Fed. DSs approved, most of them were first time WLS patients. Oh!! And Baptist Hospital IS in-network!!! My surgery will be more complicated than a standart DS and my outa pocket expences to Dr. Husted's office will be $4500.00. I think his experience, expertise, caring is well worth that amount and it covers all appointments and labs for the first 2 years after surgery. And BC/BS Fed. Standard will pay 90% of the hospital after a $100 Deposit, I am waiting for the hospital to call me back to let me know how much they want up front, so I can have all my monies together when the approval comes thru. Ellen will be sending my request into my ins. co. on Monday!! They have 30 days to respond!! Keep your fingers crossed for me!! Patty

Thanks Patty for the info. Congratulations on making the choice to DS - after months of research, I can't imagine wanting anything else for *permanent* weight loss. I have a friend who had some kind of then-experimental bypass surgery in Arkansas 1980 - people always want to hear the stories of the folks who are a long ways out from surgery, and I'd love to hear yours. Please keep us updated on how it goes for the approval. I know that no matter what we do we'll have some out-of-pocket expenses and we'll be working to try to save up the money to get those covered. I sure hope that everything goes incredibly well for you in your endeavors to get approved for a revision. Any one of the surgeons on my short list seem like WONDERFUL choices, so now it's down to nit-picky stuff like drive distance, in-network or out, etc. as to which one it will be. Dr. Husted is probably closest, and it means a little something to me that he has accepted someone from the Yahoo DS list who literally will die of kidney disease sooner rather than later without the surgery. This guy needs to get the weight off so he'll be put on the transplant list - in the meantime is on dialysis. Not only does the compassion speak volumes, but so does the fact that he's confident that he can get the guy through the surgery at all. Again, thanks for the information. And forgive me for being such a dunce- I meant to write 'from your neighbor TO the east".... Denise in Ark