MEDICAID AND MEDICARE SURGEONS LIST!

A couple of months ago I signed up for a couple of seminars in order to further my path towards weight loss surgery. Attended a seminar hosted by Puget Sound Bariatric Center & Swedish Hospital. I was signed up for a webinar from Overlake Hospital, but the doctor didn't show up!

Puget Sound informed me that the doctors there DO NOT accept Medicare so my only option left was Swedish. The seminar was presented by Dr. McMahon (bariatric surgeon) and I was impressed with is knowledge and presentation, so I signed up. And besides, Swedish accepts Medicare. The only caveat being they don't support sleeve surgery. My choices were the Lap-Band or RNY.

Although I was originally (totally) against RNY (to many invasive procedures ?), I'm coming around towards accepting it more and more. After viewing horror stories about the Lap-Band on YouTube & researching the subject, I don't wish to go the Lap-Band route.

I'm scheduled for an endoscopy on June 7 then from there we await final approval from Medicare/Aetna. 

Dr Moonka at Virginia Mason accepts Medicare but not Medicaid and as it happens he is also the best and most skilled doctor in the whole wide world. JMHO

Does anyone know what the deal is with Swedish these days? I was told they accept Medicaid/DSHS and Dr. McMahon's web page indicates that he accepts Medicaid/DSHS patients, but when I spoke with them today, their insurance person told me that they are in fact not contracted with Medicaid and never have been. This is puzzling to me based on earlier reports from Medicaid patients earlier in this thread. 

Did something change or did I simply get bad information?

The Bariatric department of University of Washington accepts both. Medicare is a little quicker, as Medicaid does require the six month pre-op gig. Took me about six months anyway, cuz I had to quit smoking. They WILL NOT do surgery on a smoker. I am so glad too because I never thought I could quit cigs, but that motivated me. Chantix works!!