She's back... Dr. B back in town

I'm glad to hear DR. B is back in town and sounds like most of you are back on track! Glad to hear it!!!! Hope you are all on the losing side soon!

I had completed the new patient packet that included everything they asked for including documentation of all my prior attempts to weight loss; weigh****chers, LA Weight loss, Jenny Craig, and MD supervised office notes. The weight loss doctor I was seeing had to mail my chart twice before they were able to locate it. I had my first appointment with the psychologist, dietician and NP on Oct 27, 2006. I was prepared for the "expected" problems with my insurance company trying to get approval. The insurance company was the least of the problems that I have encountered. My chart was "misplaced" for 2 weeks before it was even dictated so that insurance approval could be started. After calling several times with no resolution I spoke with Diane, who is very helpful, but cannot do everyone's job including her own. Anyway, they submitted to BCBS Federal in the middle of December, who denied it (it was an exclusion) so they sent it to my secondary insurance United Healthcare on Jan 3 or thereabouts. United Healthcare approved me in 9 days. While I was waiting for a decision from UHC, I asked Wendy Jo to resubmit my paperwork to BCBS since they have started covering it. I did not hear anything from her so on Jan 11 I called Wendy Jo again and she said I did not tell her that I had BCBS Federal and that she would resubmit it again. Five days later I got a letter from BCBS saying that they approved me. I have not heard from Wendy Jo yet. Since getting the approval from UHC I spoke to Noreen (she is very nice and honest) and I am tentatively scheduled for May 10, 2007. She said if my sleep study and cardiologist clearance came back okay I may be able to be done at the outpatient hospital which may get me scheduled in April. I am very frustrated and I will tell you that if Dr. Blackstone did not have the reputation and statistics that she has I would find another surgeon to do my surgery. I feel like I am Dorothy lost in Oz and am on a long journey to see the wizard!

I know how your feeling. My chart was also misplaced. No one told me Freda left and I was leaving her messages on her voicemail and she was not returning my calls. I'm thinking she submitted my info to ins. but she didn't. Finally I got to talk with Diane and found out Freda was no longer there and my chart was misplaced. Diane submitted my info to the ins. and it was approved in less than two weeks. After I received my approval letter I called to get scheduled only to find out Noreen is out on vacation and then out sick. I wait again! I call on Friday and find out Dr. Blackstone is out of the office and also Dr. Amy Koler has left the practice. Dr. Koler was my original Dr. and she is no longer there and no one told me. I am really disgusted with this office and am in the process of looking for another doctor. This has been a long journey for me also and mostly because of the poor communication between the office staff and patients. If they don't call me Monday with a date I am done with them.' Well, thanks for listening to my complaints and good luck to you. Maureen

Dr. Kohler left SBC back in September to go teach at Medical School. So, Dr. Blackstone has been running solo since last summer. As for scheduling appointments... I was approved 8/14 and got my surgery scheduled 8/15, I just kept calling and calling until I spoke to someone. I would just keep calling and calling and calling... every 10 minutes! Good Luck!

Apparently the only person in Dr. Blackstone that can schedule surgeries at this time is Noreen. I started down this path 12 months ago. I paid the $1,100 that was requested at the start of this journey to SBC (apparently that has now been discontinued but I have not received a refund) and after going through the trials and tirbulations of dealing with the lack or abscense of communication within Dr. Blackstones office (particularly with Wendy Jo) I received approval on 8/31/06 after going through one appeal. But Noreen was on vacation until 9/11/06 so I had to wait yet again until that day to even know when my surgery could be scheduled. I was given an 11/22/06 date which was cancelled on 11/21/06 at 6 pm after I had taken the bowel prep. Apparently I needed further cardiac clearance, even though I had passed a stress and treadmill test and had received cardiac clearance through Cigna HMO I still needed more (I have to remember at this point that Dr. Blackstone is just looking out for my best interests!) and my insurance company did not agree with this. According to them I had passed clearance. According to Dr. Blackstones office I needed more tests. I now have full cardiac clearance and have had all of the blood work preformed for the 3rd time. My pre-op doctors appointment is set for next Tuesday and my surgery has been rescheduled for 2/7/07. If Dr. B was not the best I am not sure I would have stuck with this for so long.

Did you ask for your money back? I would!!!! It sucks for everyone who has had problems, I too have had my fair share of problems with the office staff and then nursing staff, I just haven't posted it. I would hate to be in Diane's shoes right now. I think Dr. Blackstone should fire majority of the people in the office and hire some patients, because we all know how it's been. I was a damn good secretary for 4 years and been doing scheduling work for the last 3 years.

Now THATs an idea Nicole! I wonder if she would give us a discount if we did help out... Does anyone know if she is taking on more new patients? It would seem to me that her office should handle the people they have right now, and then as Dr. Blackstone gets back into the swing of things, start adding more clients, one at a time.

Ellen, I am sorry to hear it has taken so long for you to get scheduled also. I'm already looking into another doctor because I cannot wait another 5 months for this. I am going to Dr. Terry Simpson on Thurday for a consult. I have read only good things about him. He was on channel 12 news and did Jinene Ford's mom's surgery. I hope they can get me scheduled sooner than SBC. He actually has answered my emails himself over the weekend. Also, since SBC will no longer be taking UHC (which I only found out about on this forum) insurance after June 1 I feel it would be in my best interest to go to a doctor who will still be taking my insurance. I had major back surgery in Aug. and I need to lose the weight for it to be successful. Did anyone else not receilve a notice about Dr. Koler leaving? She was my original doctor and no one told me she left, I just found out this past Friday. I just feel I have been lost in the shuffel along with my chart and that is not a good feeling. :-( But I wish you good luck with your surgery Ellen. Oh, one more thing, why are they having more seminars when they can't keep up with the patients they already have? Doesn't make sense to me. :-o

I finally got a date scheduled. I will be going on March 8th. I sent Diane an email today and right after I sent it I was called by Noreen to schedule. Thanks for listening to me whine. I just hope it doesn't get cancelled for some reason. BTW, does anyone know how I can get my picture to show up on here? I uploaded it through photobucket but it's not working. Thanks again for any help. Maureen

Sherry, make sure you get them to put in through BCBS, since as of June 2007, Dr Blackstone will no longer be a UHC provider. I would hate to see your surgery get delayed, then cancelled at the last moment because of your insurance. Best wishes Alli