Has anyone one used Dr. Washington in Freehold??
I'm a newbie in the process of fulfilling insurance requirements(have Horizon BCBS HMO) for approval of RNY.
Hate the whole 6 month medically supervised diet thing, like anyone considering this has not tried dieting !!!!!!!
I would love to hear from anyone who has had surgery with Dr. Washington or has heard anything about him.
Thank you
Hate the whole 6 month medically supervised diet thing, like anyone considering this has not tried dieting !!!!!!!
I would love to hear from anyone who has had surgery with Dr. Washington or has heard anything about him.
Thank you
Dr Lisa Dobruskin did my RNY on 12-22-08. I have complete faith in the the doctors, Jessica Wolski is wonderful. I met Dr Washington once, he did my enozcopy (sp?) I got a very comfortable feeling from him as well. I would do the surgery again in a heart beat if I was gauranteed that it would go the exact same way.
Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like more specific details. I'd be happy to share
Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like more specific details. I'd be happy to share
Goldiegirl_1
on 1/17/09 9:39 am
on 1/17/09 9:39 am
Hello !
I researched everything before I had my surgery (10/31/08). I attended Dr. Washington's seminar which was very good. At the end of the seminar, there were a few people who have had the surgeries with Dr. Washington and/or his staff, and were complete success stories. I met with "Jessica" who is a doctor's assistant, I think. She was just such a lovely person. I had heard through these sites that the only thing that people were dissatisfied with, about Dr. Washington's group, was that they required you to go to a nutrition group at the hospital which was not covered by insurance companies. So, when I went to a consultation with Jessica, I broached that subject and she said that she was not aware of that. I figured that the people on the website were wrong so I proceeded with my plans. My insurance company, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Delaware, required me to see a Pulmonologist, Cardiologist, Psychologist AND show proof of six consecutive months of a supervised diet or two three consecutive months. ( I was devastated about the requirement of the diet thing, as you were. ) I cried and kicked and screamed and finally realized that I must have some kind of documentation at Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem or L.A. Weight Loss, etc., etc. Luckily, after making all kinds of phone calls, to my complete joy, I had done two three month stints with Jenny Craig, within the last two years (also required). I had to call the main headquarters and get letters stating my dates and weights and compile a package to be submitted to the surgeon and then ultimately the insurance company.
Whew ! Are you still with me? lol ! Anyway, I had to now call the hospital and set up a class date with the nutrition department. (That requirement was in the paperwork I got from Dr. Washington's office.) When I called the hospital to set the classes up, they told me that I needed to pay $500. for their nutrition class. They also informed me that it was not covered by insurance companies. So, I called Dr. Washington's office and asked them if it was absolutely required for me to pay for and attend these classes if I wanted this surgery done. They told me YES. It was a requirement before surgery. I did also call my insurance company just to make sure that they would not pay for it and they informed me that because the insurance company did not require the nutrition classes, they absolutely would not pay for it.
That is the point at which I cancelled my dealings with Dr. Washington's office. That is the only reason I did not continue with Dr. Washington's office. Everything else was very good. I was disappointed because I live in Toms River and it would have been very convenient.
I would be happy to help you with the process if you have any questions. Please do not hesitate to contact me. I'm not an expert but I can help you with my experiences if you'd like.
Good Luck ! I'm so very happy I got the lap band !
xo,
Cindy
I researched everything before I had my surgery (10/31/08). I attended Dr. Washington's seminar which was very good. At the end of the seminar, there were a few people who have had the surgeries with Dr. Washington and/or his staff, and were complete success stories. I met with "Jessica" who is a doctor's assistant, I think. She was just such a lovely person. I had heard through these sites that the only thing that people were dissatisfied with, about Dr. Washington's group, was that they required you to go to a nutrition group at the hospital which was not covered by insurance companies. So, when I went to a consultation with Jessica, I broached that subject and she said that she was not aware of that. I figured that the people on the website were wrong so I proceeded with my plans. My insurance company, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Delaware, required me to see a Pulmonologist, Cardiologist, Psychologist AND show proof of six consecutive months of a supervised diet or two three consecutive months. ( I was devastated about the requirement of the diet thing, as you were. ) I cried and kicked and screamed and finally realized that I must have some kind of documentation at Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem or L.A. Weight Loss, etc., etc. Luckily, after making all kinds of phone calls, to my complete joy, I had done two three month stints with Jenny Craig, within the last two years (also required). I had to call the main headquarters and get letters stating my dates and weights and compile a package to be submitted to the surgeon and then ultimately the insurance company.
Whew ! Are you still with me? lol ! Anyway, I had to now call the hospital and set up a class date with the nutrition department. (That requirement was in the paperwork I got from Dr. Washington's office.) When I called the hospital to set the classes up, they told me that I needed to pay $500. for their nutrition class. They also informed me that it was not covered by insurance companies. So, I called Dr. Washington's office and asked them if it was absolutely required for me to pay for and attend these classes if I wanted this surgery done. They told me YES. It was a requirement before surgery. I did also call my insurance company just to make sure that they would not pay for it and they informed me that because the insurance company did not require the nutrition classes, they absolutely would not pay for it.
That is the point at which I cancelled my dealings with Dr. Washington's office. That is the only reason I did not continue with Dr. Washington's office. Everything else was very good. I was disappointed because I live in Toms River and it would have been very convenient.
I would be happy to help you with the process if you have any questions. Please do not hesitate to contact me. I'm not an expert but I can help you with my experiences if you'd like.
Good Luck ! I'm so very happy I got the lap band !
xo,
Cindy
Hello
Sorry for the delayed response. I didn't look at my computer all weekend. Thank you so much for responding. I too went to bayshore for my nutritional class, I still need to go again, but my insurance DID cover it because I went to Bayshore and not Centra State. I'm so sorry you did not get that information. I started this journey back in May when i was diagnosed with sleep apnea.
Hoping to submit for approval next month after jumping through all of my Insurance companies hoops!! I have had heard good things about Dr. Washington as well, but it is always good to get more opinions. I live in Freehold, so to have my surgery at Centra State would be very convenient, I just want to make sure I'm not taking any health risks, because of convenience !!!
May I ask why decided to go with the lap band? I,m thinking I will need the risk of "dumping" to deter me from the carbs. They are definitely my downfall.
Thank you so much!!
Elizabeth
Sorry for the delayed response. I didn't look at my computer all weekend. Thank you so much for responding. I too went to bayshore for my nutritional class, I still need to go again, but my insurance DID cover it because I went to Bayshore and not Centra State. I'm so sorry you did not get that information. I started this journey back in May when i was diagnosed with sleep apnea.
Hoping to submit for approval next month after jumping through all of my Insurance companies hoops!! I have had heard good things about Dr. Washington as well, but it is always good to get more opinions. I live in Freehold, so to have my surgery at Centra State would be very convenient, I just want to make sure I'm not taking any health risks, because of convenience !!!
May I ask why decided to go with the lap band? I,m thinking I will need the risk of "dumping" to deter me from the carbs. They are definitely my downfall.
Thank you so much!!
Elizabeth
Cindy, I'm so sorry to hear that you had to forgo useing CJB Dr Washington and Co, because of the dietition nutrution thing. I also have BCBS of DE (don't happen to work for AAA do ya?) The work around we found was to do the nutrition classes at Bayshore, and they are covered by BCBS of DE.
I had to get up to a floor supervisor before I got the correct answer. I'll be four weeks out as of Monday (RNY 12-22-08, Center State) Promised myself no scale until Monday, but my stretch jeans are falling off.
Not walking as much as I would like due to weather the last few days, but riding stationary bike.
I had to get up to a floor supervisor before I got the correct answer.
I'll be four weeks out as of Monday (RNY 12-22-08, Center State) Promised myself no scale until Monday, but my stretch jeans are falling off. Not walking as much as I would like due to weather the last few days, but riding stationary bike.
Goldiegirl_1
on 1/18/09 2:37 am
on 1/18/09 2:37 am
Hey,
No, my husband works for The Star Ledger. You're the first person I heard of having BCBS of Delaware. Seems weird, right?
Funny but, when I called my ins. co., I told them that the nutrition classes would be at Bayshore AND I did ALWAYS insist on speaking with a supervisor/case manager. I even held on while I made her go ask the Director qualification questions ! (They probably were glad to see me go !) lol ! I guess it just wasn't "meant to be" for me and it was "meant to be" for you. Who knows?
I wish you the best of luck and if the stretch jeans are falling off - YOU GO GIRL !!!!!!! That's all that matters !!!!
xo,
Cindy
No, my husband works for The Star Ledger. You're the first person I heard of having BCBS of Delaware. Seems weird, right?
Funny but, when I called my ins. co., I told them that the nutrition classes would be at Bayshore AND I did ALWAYS insist on speaking with a supervisor/case manager. I even held on while I made her go ask the Director qualification questions ! (They probably were glad to see me go !) lol ! I guess it just wasn't "meant to be" for me and it was "meant to be" for you. Who knows?
I wish you the best of luck and if the stretch jeans are falling off - YOU GO GIRL !!!!!!! That's all that matters !!!!
xo,
Cindy
Hello
Sorry for the delayed response. I didn't look at my computer all weekend. Thank you so much for responding. I too went to Bayshore for my nutritional class, I still need to go again, but my insurance DID cover it because I went to Bayshore and not Centra State. I'm so sorry you did not get that information. I started this journey back in May when i was diagnosed with sleep apnea.
Hoping to submit for approval next month after jumping through all of my Insurance companies hoops!! I have had heard good things about Dr. Washington as well, but it is always good to get more opinions. I live in Freehold, so to have my surgery at Centra State would be very convenient, I just want to make sure I'm not taking any health risks, because of convenience !!!
Thanks again!!!
Elizabeth
Sorry for the delayed response. I didn't look at my computer all weekend. Thank you so much for responding. I too went to Bayshore for my nutritional class, I still need to go again, but my insurance DID cover it because I went to Bayshore and not Centra State. I'm so sorry you did not get that information. I started this journey back in May when i was diagnosed with sleep apnea.
Hoping to submit for approval next month after jumping through all of my Insurance companies hoops!! I have had heard good things about Dr. Washington as well, but it is always good to get more opinions. I live in Freehold, so to have my surgery at Centra State would be very convenient, I just want to make sure I'm not taking any health risks, because of convenience !!!
Thanks again!!!
Elizabeth
Hi,
Dr. Washington did my surgery and also did my husbands surgery back last spring. We both had Lap Band. He also did both of our upper endo's. As for the mandatory nutrition classes, that is basically for your own best interest, and it shows the drs how committed you are to this. Yes it was annoying, and did delay things a little, but they were very informative as well. As far as the cardiac, pulmonary and psyc clearance....I guess everyone is just convering themselves as well.
As far as a Drs capability is concerned, I must tell you I was 100% pleased with Dr. Washington. His associate Dr. Sadek has done ALL of my follow up and if I knew him then like I know him now, I might have used him as well. My friend had Dr. Sadek for her GB surgery and her Lab Band Surgery without any incident.
I must say they are a growing practice and sometimes I do have to wait longer then I like. At times, my appointments need to be rescheduled as well. I dont know if that is the office staff or the drs fault.
I would highly recommend the practice as whole.
Dr. Washington did my surgery and also did my husbands surgery back last spring. We both had Lap Band. He also did both of our upper endo's. As for the mandatory nutrition classes, that is basically for your own best interest, and it shows the drs how committed you are to this. Yes it was annoying, and did delay things a little, but they were very informative as well. As far as the cardiac, pulmonary and psyc clearance....I guess everyone is just convering themselves as well.
As far as a Drs capability is concerned, I must tell you I was 100% pleased with Dr. Washington. His associate Dr. Sadek has done ALL of my follow up and if I knew him then like I know him now, I might have used him as well. My friend had Dr. Sadek for her GB surgery and her Lab Band Surgery without any incident.
I must say they are a growing practice and sometimes I do have to wait longer then I like. At times, my appointments need to be rescheduled as well. I dont know if that is the office staff or the drs fault.
I would highly recommend the practice as whole.
Dr. washington did my lap band and I had lots of problems, starting with a 7 day hospital stay post op. Read my profile. He is very kind, compassionate, and knowledgeable, but my result was not good. I do not care for the rest of his staff. Stay away from his first associate, Dr. Earl Noyan; many have experienced complications with him, and I hear he may be operating out of CentraState again. My stays at CentraState have been horrible as well, they are not "large patient" friendly. That is about all I can say. I sought out a Center of Excellence to do my revision and I would suggest you do the same. Driving a few hours is no consequence, some people travel across states to find good surgeons. I would recommend Dr. Jean-Baptiste. All programs charge some kind of fee which is not covered by insurance and so does Dr. JB. I found over the years that the really good surgeons stop taking insurance reimbursement. Good luck to you.
I had my lap band surgery done on 12/15/08. It was done by Dr. Dubruskin. I had the surgery done at Centra State but did my nutrition and pre-op tests done at Bayshore. I have had no problems at all. The staff at his office where wonderful. They worked hard to get my surgery done in my time frame. Good luck to you.
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