I'VE BEEN APPROVED POST IT HERE

I got approved last Thursday (Feb 28) thru WV Medicaid with Unicare.  Everyone I spoke with at Medicaid and Unicare said it was almost impossible to meet their strict criteria.  I felt like they were telling me, give up now, we will never approve you.  Well, guess what?! THEY were wrong!  I was initially denied in November, but persevered and was finally approved after 4 months!  I'm so excited...it's really REAL!  My surgeon says he'll call me this week with a surgery date within the next 2-4 weeks!!!  NOW, I'm getting really nervous!  LOL Crystal

I just got a call from my new best friend, Dale with Dr. Barker's office. I got approved!!! It has taken a year and two doctors but I'm finally having my surgery!

I was approved on March 17 and will be having my surgery on May 13. My insurance company is Aetna and I have the EPO plan. It has taken since October of 07 to get approved although I was only required a three month diet. I also wanted to say congrats to everyone else on this boad who has gotten approved

I won my appeal!  State insurance plan, known to be the toughest.  YIPPIE.  June 3rd, here I come!

I was FINALLY approved after my appeal.  My surgery is 4/8/08.  I have bcbs of mn... they were great to work with once I got an RN assigned to my case.  Wish me luck!!!

I have waited for 9 long months to be able to say this:  I'M APPROVED I have Aetna PPO.  The paperwork was submitted March 19.  I called and confirmed it was received on March 24.  Aetna confirmed it was there but it had not been pulled off the system yet.  She pulled it, assigned a claim number and sent it to nurse review.  She told me it could take a week or so.   I was so excited I called today to see if I could get a status.  I was told it was actually approved yesterday.  It only took hours to get approval once my paperwork was looked at.  I'm so excited.  I can't wait to write in a post  "I've got a date"......

yes, just found out today, that i've been approved with UHC.... NO date yet, I'm still waiting for call....

I sent the paperwork to insurance Coresource of MD ( Onenet) in February. Got the approval by phone, March 14th, then got the letter on March 21st, exactly a month lator. My BMI was over 40 though. Ellie

Hello, one & all, Bear w/me, please, I'm still speechless!  First, DO NOT GIVE UP/IN. I had my first consult w/Dr. Margaret Inman, St. V's, Indy in July of 2005.  This was after checking in my insurance brochure, going to their website and thinking I was okay.  I want the Duodenal Switch and am having it. Passed my Psych Eval, did six months, instead of "just" three months supervised weight loss.  Was jerked around by my insurance, Mail Handlers. Finally, after being told by one of their phone personnel, do you realize how big our brochure would be if we put all our exclusions in it, after I said the Duodenal Switch wasn't shown as an exclusion; just rarely used; I realized I was in a world of hurt.  Was afraid to switch insurance companies, the term "pre-existing condition" floated around. Also, I'd talked to two nurses (?) who I had to explain what the DS.  They said we've never heard of it.  What is it? I consulted w/Gary Viscio.  I decided to retain him for my appeal process.  I sent him my entire package on July 14, 2006.  He has answered my  pitiful, demanding e-mails, talked to on the phone, shared my frustrations and kept plugging away. I can not praise Gary and his staff enough!!!  For, basically, chump change, he took on my insurance company and beat them into submission. I live approx. 130 miles south of Indy. Each consult at St. V's a major roadtrip.  Here's my success story:  I consulted w/Dr. Inman (again) November 5.  Decided to do the three month supervised weight loss w/Dr. Brooks, St. V.  First consult 12/17, second 01/21 plus my psych eval w/Dr. Stotes, third 02/18, fourth/last 03/17.  Did the Upper GI, Stress Test, Echo, Hypylori also. OKAY - DEEP BREATH!!  Dr. Brooks' office had allready sent Mail Handlers my weight loss crap.  Colleen Obrien, Dr. Inman's offic manager, got a call Fri., 03/28, wanting the rest of my stuf.f.  Faxed it to them.  Colleen had a verbal approval on 04/01/08, yeah, I know what you're thinking. I called MH yesterday, wanting a copy of my approval letter in my cynical, hot little hand, was told:  you were approved on 03/31, it hasn't been mailed yet.  My thought was yeah, that's two whole days, get w/it.  I'm waiting until Monday and will call again.  I had no idea how to appeal, deal w/my mean, stone age insurance company, Gary's my knight in shining armor, he did it for me. Bottom line, do not give in, insurance companies count on us round bottomed people doing that.

I was approved on 4/1/08.  I have Cigna insurance.  My surgery is 4/10/08.  I am so happy and thankful for this site and all the support, encouragement and information.  And for those that have Cigna, I had no issues what so ever.  They were informative, helpful and quick.