UHC(SHBP News)

..and oh yeah I hear the problem is not with UHC but the SHBP...our peoples....

....the more appeals and complaints concerning some of these requirements) the better! I faxed my appeal letter and it got into the right hands...got go for what you think is right sometimes.

SO FREDA, LET ME GET THIS CLEAR. SHELLY DID NOT TELL YOU A NUMBER OF MEETING THAT WE HAVE TO ATTEND/COMPLETE AND NOR DID SHE TELL YOU THAT THE MEETINGS HAS TO BE 1 EVERY MONTH FOR 6 MONTHS??? BECAUSE IF I AM NOT MISTAKING THAT IS WHAT SHE TOLD ME. WHY IS IT THAT THEY INFORMATION IS SO DAMN CONTRADICTORY!!! GIRL IT MAKE ME WANT TO SCREAM!! Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelly left me a message and from what I gather they have stopped requiring the 6 months couseling with the psych, that the 6 monthly meetings could be fulfilled with bariactric support groups. One per month for 6 months.

ok...hmmm...I'm hoping the letters that they send should SPELL this thing out more clearer...she didn't say that the psych eval was obsolete but that the "6month" period was not going to be necessary as it relates to the psych eval UNLESS the psych sees reason for you to continue on ...usually if they detect that  you are dealling with emotional and stress eatting they will refer you for counseling which of course WOULD NOT give you a clearance letter right away...hope I didn't give away the secret....

lol..you need one of these...let it marinate!!!

Well see I had left msg the 1st week of february for my UBH clinical support  to call me back regarding whether support groups could count towards "counseling sessions" ..so while Shelly had me on the phone she say she saw where I had asked that question and that YES support groups does count...which I think is even better b/c those counseling sessions COST....support groups are usually free and seem to be more interesting...so hey if you've been going keep all documentation with names of persons over the group. Girl I sent my own lil packet to my surgeons office..let them figure out what all they can use...they LOVE for you forward stuff that may help your case.....in the end they will pull on the BEST info to submit.....if it's weight loss related keep it!

I called the Nurse at UHC Tuesday and she said she hadn't heard that the requirements had been changed for counseling. I have called Dave, the guy at UBH who set up my psych eval for three days and he has yet to return my call and all I get is voice mail. I had my final visit with the psych doc this morning and he said that the counseling sessions were " excessive, uncessary and expensive". I agree. If this is true, it is truly a step forward!

Well CColeman under UHC-HRA(shbp) I was told by the Shelly/Exec Dir. @ UBH that these were the changes takin place. UHC & UBH undoubtfully are two different entities within one and one don't always like to get into the others affairs. Anywho..Dave was assigned  as my clinical social worker as well..I spoke with him at beginning of Feb. As of Feb. 9th I left a message for Dave regarding "counseling session" requirements  b/c at the time UHC(shbp) was saying that there needed to have a 6mth physch eval AND 6mth counseling and I needed to know if it was necessary to do both and never got a return call...instead a guy named Rick has been corresponding instead..not sure if Dave is gone or not..but he does exist..just not lately.

This "change" is obviously new and/or in the works and it could be on a case by case situation. I just know I was told that since I had my completed eval with clearance letter that would suffice for me.
Wish you well on new findings...if I hear anything new I will be sure to post. There has been much frustration about these behavioral requirements.

I also have a fax number for UBH if you need to send letter that way...believe me taking all avenues will help you.

Hi all,

Thanks so much for the info!  But UHC SHBP stills requires 6 months of nutritional counseling, right?  If the 6 months behavioral counseling (my Optum BH counselor said that support groups count as long as the facilitator will sign off on my readiness for surgery) are no longer necessary if a psych evaluation and clearance letter is sufficient, that could move up my surgery by a month (I started nut counseling in December).  This is awesome news.  I will contact Shelly to verifiy as well.   Maybe if she keeps getting questions from us, the correct info will filter down to all the behavioral case workers...

NUT...or PCP?  I was told that we needed a 6 month physician supervised diet.