Rex Hospital

I am playing the waiting game....just wanted to know if there were others in the same boat:

I have BCBS of NC State Health Plan...I'm a teacher..., I've gone through all of the pre-op obstacles.  Now, I am just waiting for Rex Hospital in Raleigh to become a "Center of Distinction" - a label given by BCBS of NC...in order for them to pay for my surgery.

I was hoping to have surgery before I went back to school; however, now, it looks like I'll be taking off some days from work. 

I wish they would just hurry up!!!  

Will BCBS of NC only pay at a "Center of Distinction" now??

Duke's bariatric program is a Center for Excellence.  Maybe try there.

Good Luck!

Hi,
I am in the same boat-grrrrr
Hoping that by the end of the month things will be worked out.
I am hoping to have my surgery on September 13th.


Hope we both get our surgery date!
Take care-and breathe!! lol

ECUShagger - Only for the State Health Plan that I am aware of is the only BCBS  of NC plan that this applies to.  They have to be a "Center of Distinction" - there is a list on the BCBS NC website...

Sunshine8 - Good luck with your surgery date...I don't think Rex will have an issue getting their distinction status...My case manager at the bariatric office called and said August 15 will be the last day that BCBS NC has to let them know whether Rex is or not....I will be calling on August 15..

I just worry because I'm gonig to have to take a week or two off of work - I'm a fairly new teacher and I don't have all the time built up....

Take Care!!!  

I too have BCBSNC and I had my surgery at Rex 9 weeks ago.  From my understanding when I first went to the weight loss meeting there in March, Rex had to have their certifications or whatever by June 1st, and my surgery was June 4.  Now unless Rex got some kind of extension or something, they should already have their classification.  Then again I am just the general public so I really no nothing except that I had my Lap-Band surgery done their.

PMartin

 Don't know anything about where Rex is in the process but can tell you this is how it works for BCBS & in the near future ALL BCBS plans will require that a center be a BCBS Center of Distinction.  Some individual plans already require it.  When I was program coordinator at Duke I applied for and obtained Duke's center of distinction status. It was relatively new for weight loss surgery but not new for other specialty areas like transplant. I had been a transplant coordinator at Duke so I was already pretty familiar with the process.

1) A hospital must first meet all the criteria to be a Center of Excellence for the SRC (surgical review corporation)
2) Lots of data must be tracked and even more rigorous requirements met to become a BCBS National Center of Distinction.

It takes a long time & you have to have at least 2 years as a Center of Excellence before you can apply with BCBS.  Also, BCBS has to invite you to apply. 

Rex is not a Center of Excellence yet but they may have provisional status now.  I am not sure.  I know they are working on it.  
If you go to the main BCBS site which is just www.bcbs.com you can find out all about the centers of distinction in all sorts of areas. It is great. Really  helps patients get the best care. There are several centers in NC, Duke, Hickory, & ECU for sure but there may be a couple of others. Duke is the only one in the triangle area.  However, Hickory has Dr. Hata (he was a Duke Fellow) he is excellent also.

Good Luck! 

big news for all of us in this boat!

REX IS NOW CENTER OF DISTINCTION!!!!!!!

I got a call from my coordinator at  Wake Surgical Specialists and they had received a call last night from the CEO at Rex.
BCBS has asked for some time to update their information-so what this means to me is surgery is soon-for anyone ready!

I am scheduled for September 15, 2010-lets hope it does not take longer than that to get all the updating done.

Wahooooooooooooooooooooo
~Sunshine!

Hi lafalot86, This is just my 2 cents worth and personal experience.  If I was having my surgery again (i had RNY 9.23.10 with Dr Enochs), I would choose WakeMed Cary as well as Dr Enochs again hands down!!  The staff at the hospital was excellent!!!!!  I can't rave enough about them!! 

Me and my husband both had our surgeries there and I know without a shadow of a doubt I would go back there, b/c I did when I had to have my hernia repair March 31, 2010!  The staff was excellent then too! Actually if it wasn't for my surgeries and my husbands, I would not be pregnant with our lil Butterbean!

Again, this is just my opinion and my 2 cents worth, so hope this is helpful.  If you have ANY questions, please feel free to send me a message on here or email [email protected].  BEST of LUCK with your surgery!!  Hope you the best and Welcome to the Losers bench!!