Insurance approval question

I am having Band to Sleeve revision... that is if my insurance approves me...
I have Federal Blue Cross.  I have done everything they require to approve me except  for the Endescope.  They can't do that until May 11, 2011.  Am I crazy to think I could be approved and have surgery in Mid June?   My husand only has two weeks off starting on June 12....

My approval took about a week.  They did not require me to do any of the nutritional programs or diet, cardo clearance etc.  All they wanted to know is if I was compliant with the band requirements...dr visits and nut visits.  I have BCBS of NJ.

Good luck!

My surgery was April 12th...down 20 pounds already!  So far so good...it was a hard surgery, much more so than the band.

I had to have a Cardio clearance, Psych eval, 3 months of nurtrition classes and 2  Weight Management classes.  I also had to have a buch of bloodwork done.  They only thing left for me to get done is the Endoscope.  Then I have to do a liquid diet for two weeks before the surgery date.    
It sounds like you are doing a great job!! 

I had to do the Endoscopy and blood work too but that was the doctor and not the insurance company.

It was a tuff couple of days.  It is a harder surgery than the original one due to the scar tissue left from the band.  I was not even sure if I could get the sleeve until I woke up in my room.  Thank God I had a great surgeon!

hi ckb70,

Did you have the band to ds or band to rny? I have BCBS of PA n had my rny done in 2009...which is failing. I have two stomal ulcers and an enlarged pouch and stoma. Id like to go from my rny to ds. my surgeon says it has to be done in NJ. its great that is took one week for approval, hoping mine could be that quick. my surgeon dr. bonanni hasnt put in for it yet. it would be great if PA and NJ BCBS are similiar, ive been going nuts worrying if they will approve.



btw congrats on the new weightloss, hope my revision if i have one is succussful in working also.

~Chirstine

Hi Christine,
I went fromt he band to the sleeve.

Dr. Bonanni did my surgery too.  Why does the surgery have to be done in NJ?

This is what Dr Bonanni told me unless I heard him wrong. I dunno if it has to do with it being more dangerous being it would be from RNY to DS? I think only so many states allow it.

Thats awesome we have the same doc. he wants me to take meds for 8 weeks for my ulcers to see if they clear up, then go from there, he hasnt even said he'll do my resvision yet he said we'ed see about a gameplan after the eight weeks. im soo nervous.

how quickly did he say he'd do your revision?

insurance doesn't require a EGD.  That is probable the doctors requirement.  I got approved for my revision the same day!!


Tamara

Tamara............this is a stupid question but what is a EGD???

  Thanks, Holly

An EGD is where they put you to sleep and put a camera down thru the esophagus and look at the esophagus, stomach, and part of the small intestines.  They do this to make sure there is not erosion or see if there are problems before you get on the operating table and they find that there is a problem.