United healthcare "optum" center of excellence

Hi all just looking for some insight and little advice on what to do.. So, I have UHC "Optum Health" and I'm looking into having a revision done because my band slipped.  My doctor (who put the band in) and I have decided on RNY.  Now my issue is my doctor is not about of the UHC Optum center of excellence or the hospital I would have the surgery in but they are applying to become one.  They are a bariatric enter of excellence why isn't that enough?  Has anyone had this issue and got around it? I wrote then a long letter requesting they approve my doctor to do the surgery because the closest center is an hour away!! So please any suggestions would be great Thanks!

I don't know about this issue.  What has your doctor told you?  It seems to be an insurance issue because the Center of Excellence designation is the highest recognition for bariatrics. 

Yeah they sent in my request for pre approval along with a letter I wrote.  I just don't want to have to start over and be an hour out of the way especially when my hospital is 10 mins away. The office never dealt with this before and my first surgery never wanted a optum center of excellence so I'm just nervous this will be denied