United Healthcare insurance

Does anyone know if United is good about approving WLS? My sis is getting ready to start a new job and willhave United. She previously had Aetna and was denied. Any information would help!

If WLS is written into the contract and she meets the criteria, she shouldn't have any problem.  I do know they are supposedly a few days slower to approve than some other companies, but my approval came through in about 5 days. 

LIke the previous poster said, make sure WLS is in the coverage.  I have UHC and was approved in 4 days.  I understand it is one of the easiest to get approval from.  No 6 month diet that I know of.

Can I ask which UHC plan you have?

I work with UHC all the time. There are many employers that have exclusions, I hope your sis' new job isn't one of them! Some require a 6 month medically supervised diet, some do not, again it depends on the policy the employer bought. For me, they have been easy to deal with. My office is getting responses back in less than 30 days, sometimes in 3 or 4.

Bonnie, Since you work for UHC and my plan has it excluded except when medically appropriate.  I am probably needing a revision, do you know what the criteria is for that?

I do not work for UHC, I work with them all the time as I am a nurse for a bariatric surgeon.  Whoever told you it is excluded except when medically necessasy needs to clarify.  Sounds to me like you got the old line that it is excluded "but if you can show medical necessity, we will review it" If that's the line you got, it's excluded...period..... All insurers tell you that you can appeal an exclusion....but they don't tell you that you won't win.  My docs don't do revisions unless there is some kind of mechanical failure, which has not happened in the time I've been there, so I do not know the criteria.

Could you tell me if the surgeon's office where you work mails in the pre-determination papers or faxes them? My surgeon's office mails them and that seems to take forever! I've heard that insurance companies do not like for surgeon's offices to fax. And I was wondering if you've received approvals in 3 or 4 days after they received it in the mail or after you sent it? Thanks.

We fax 99% of them. There are only a few that don't allow it. Insurance companies do not dislike the faxing. Their faxes are hooked up to computers, it goes electronically into your file, no wasted paper or papers that can get lost and anyone with computer access can see it. There are a few UHC plans that approve in a few days that I have dealt with, most take 30.