Dr. Muir Tampa, FL surgery schedule

I recently changed my surgeons to Dr. Muir group and went to the seminar.  My appt witht Spectra is scheduled for 04/17/08 and I should be cleared for surgery.  Does anyone have an idea how long after that appt approx. it will take to get appt. with doctor and how long it takes for surgery to be scheduled after that. I know it's depending on the insurance to approve the sx, but just wondering about Dr. Muir's wait and his staff getting things done. Shae

Hi Shae :) It took me about 3 weeks to get an appointment after the Spectra visit.  It would have been longer if I had waited for Dr Muir so I took an earlier appointment with Dr Gallagher.  I had all of my paperwork submitted to Dr Muir's group immediately after my surgeon's meeting and it still took another 2 or 3 weeks for the administrative staff to get my information submitted to the insurance company for approval.  Once you finally get approval from the insurance company (can take 1 week to 8 weeks) you then have to wait another 2 - 3 weeks to actually have the surgery.  It is a long process and it will truly test your will and dedication.  Make sure you have everything you need for the insurance company.  do not rely on Susan or Liz in the office to make sure your file is complete.  Go on your insurance company's website and print out a copy of your policy.  Call the insurance company and make them give you the requirements verbally.  Then get with your PCP and go over everything together.  Your insurance company will require some things and Dr. Muir's group will require different things.  So make sure you have it all together before you let Dr Muir's group submit to insurance.  do not leave room for the insurance company to deny you!  When I was in my surgeon's meeting I had Susan check my file and she said everything looked in order and was confident I would be approved and lo and behold I was denied on my first submission and I had to fight and appeal and finally won.  If everything had gone according to plan I would have had surgery last September.  But due to the denial and appeal process I am not having surgery until April.  So dot your I's and cross your T's! Reminder:  if you smoke quit now!  You MUST be smoke free for 90 days to have the surgery. If they find out you smoked they will NOT do the surgery! 

Shae, Are you speaking of Dr "Michel Murr" at TGH?

After my approval with Spectra it took me about a week to get an apointment with Dr. Murr, then Susan submitted all my insurance to United, that took about two weeks to get approved. Once approved they scheduled my surgery within two weeks of that. Once the ball started rolling, it all happened rather fast.

Hi Amy, Thanks for the reply, sorry it took so long to respond.  I went for my appt with SPECTRA last Thursday, so tomorrow will be a week and I still have not heard anything yet..I hope they called before the end to of the week.  Oh did I mention, I passed on the first visit and was cleared to move on.. So I'm happy about that.  I was hoping to have everything done by the end of the month and the insurance papers submitted by then, due to it will be my grandmother's DOD on 04/30/08 and I made a promise to her that I will get back skinny and healthy again before she died, so that would have been a really great gift in honor of her memory.  But I just pray something happens before the month is out. I hope you are doing on your WL journey.  Try to stay positive and think of why you made this decision and you will be fine.  Can't wait to see your pics soon of your new body. Oh, I see you leave in Aburndale, I was born and raised in Lakeland.

Shae,

Thank you for the encouragement, I have been dealing with a lot of anxiety and I need some posotive feed back. As far as you being approved on your first visit, that is awesome. I know that Susan from Dr. Murr's office comes to Spectra on Monday's to pick up the folders of people who have been cleared for surgery. I would call Spectra and see if they have forwared your folder to Susan. Once Susan had my folder I was called within a week to schedule an appointment. The more open you are to appointment times the quicker you will get in. Once you hvae that intial apointment with the Dr. then you meet Sussan adn she will submit all your paper work to insurance. Make sure you have ALL the documentation that they say to have (records, history ect.). You will have to keep me informed,I will add you as a friend. I am so happy for you, and we are still nieghbors.