Well, here goes....

I made the final decision to have WLS about 2 months ago. I have an appointment with my PCP Thursday. I've already discussed it with her, and she told me she would do whatever she could to help me as long as I did the research. I have been to my first support group meeting which is held locally once a month. That's as far as I have gotten in the process. I have TennCare Select. Any information that you guys can give me as far as dealing with them would be wonderful!! So far I have found that Dr. Anderson in Nashville will accept it, although he is out of network. I have also heard of Dr. Hruska in Clarksville. Anyone who has TennCare who has used either of them, I would greatly appreciate information. Although I have read, and spoken to, and watched so much about the surgery, I still feel like I'm walking blindfolded into a room of broken glass and spider webs. I have no idea what I'm doing!!! My email address is [email protected]. Feel free to email me. Thank you guys so much for your help. You'll be hearing lots from me!

Hiya Stacey and congratulations on making the big decision! You'll be so glad you did. When you see your PCP Thursday get her to dictate her letter in support of you having the surgery. Get a letter from any doctor you see, whether it be your OB/GYN, chiropractor, orthopedist, anyone who has treated you and will dictate a letter of support for your having this surgery. The more the merrier. As far as the Tenncare goes I'd call there and get a case manager so they can help you wade through the red tape. The others here who have Tenncare speak very highly of them. Several here have used Dr. Hruska and have been pleased. Once you have decided on a surgeon to use, that surgeon will have their own criteria/requirements for you. All of them have seminars and they require you to attend theirs. Then there are preop tests and dietician visits, most do psychiatric evaluations. But your first step is to decide on a surgeon and contact them on what steps to take in what order. That will be a big step in the right direction. We're always here for you with any questions or needs that you have. Again, congratulations on your decision to better yourself. God bless! Melanie

Hi Stacy! I had surgery 4 months ago by Dr. Hruska! I LOVED her and her staff - Such an amazing group of people and they truely do care about you, as a patient. I, personally, never had a case manager. I don't think you 'have to' have one either.... Just call her office and see about getting an appointment. The lady on the phone should tell you the tests you need to have completed, she'll probably even send you a packet of paperwork to have filled out and ready for your first appointment. Good luck! -Katie

Congrats I personally have BlueCare and went to Dr.Hruska. I really enjoyed her and her staff. I had a case manager but only because I had a problem finding a surgeon in the beggining that would take me. Having a case manger is not something that everyone needs although in certain sittuations it can make things a whole lot easier. Like for me I had to travel 4 hrs for my appts with Dr.Hruska. Well the car we have does good to get around town so I found out TnCare will provide transportation to dr appts. Well they raised cane about driving 4 hrs and didn't see why I had to go that far etc...after that call to transportation I called my case manager and she called them. About 10 min later I got a return call from transportation from a lady that was a whole lot nicer and letting me know that arrangements had been made to take me to my appt. Also my case manager was the one that did the recerts on my Cpap machine she just auto approved them since I was in case management. So a case manager just depends on your sittuation. Since you have already located a surgeon that will take you you probably won't need one. *huggles*

Hi Dixie, that's about the only way I get around, is thru Blue care transportation. They are so great. Since I have to go away from the area for appointments, as long as I give them a weeks notice. They don't have a problem, what they do is send out a contract to several different transportation groups, the one with the lowest bid, gets the assignment. They call me the day before to get directions to my home, pick me up when they say they will, and stay there until I am done. I don't know about wanting to travel 5 hours to Clarksville, until I have exhausted all avenues here in my area first. But since I have a power chair, they always make sure that a lift van takes me. They shouldn't have any problems with contracting you out for a ride as long as you give them a week's notice. hugs to you, Kathy

I usually have my appts for clarksville a month or two in advance. The first time I had to use Tncare transportation to take me to the one in clarksville I was calling two months ahead. The lady on the phone was having a fit. She was almost yelling at me. She asked me if I had a referal I told her a referal was not required for me to see Dr.Hruska. (something my case manager had informed me of) She then proceeded to ask me why I had to go all the way to Clarksville. That she couldn't see why I had to go up there. She then proceeded to tell me that she was going to put it in for approval but Tncare would probably deny it since it seemed to be unnessacary to her for me to have to travel that far. After I hung up with her I called my case manager. I was not about to be grilled everytime I called transportation to take me to Clarksville. Well all went ok for the subsequent appts except for my 2wk appt after surgery. I called transportation as soon as I got home after surgery. I was having to go through the whole thing again. Asking me if I had a referal to go that far and why did I had to go that far. That they couldn't believe that me being in chattanooga there wasn't a surgeon here that could see me. I politely explained to the lady look you all have been taking me to Dr.Hruska she is the dr that has just done surgery on me and I need to go back to her. Since that last incident though I haven't had a problem.

Stacey, I have TN Care select also. I started with my PCP from there his staff order the following test and appt with Dr Hruska. All my test were taken care of before I saw her. Her office sent in one request and I was approved. It took longer to get in to see her. Than the test took. I started in mid April and was approved to have surgery on June 30th. But I had to change it until Aug 2nd. This is what you will need to have you PCP to order, nutritional consultation, sleep study, counseler, If you are on a cpap for 2 months or more Tn Care will approve you very fast. I had everything fax to Dr Hruska's office before I ever saw her. I like Dr Hruska but she is very out spoken. Tn Care will not approve out of net work Dr's at this time because of budget cuts. Hope this helps, good luck Debbie

Hey Stacey, Welcome to the board. All I can say about the broken glass & spiderwebs is research, research, research . When I was researching these surgeries I would spend days at a time on the computer reading everything I could get my hands on. If you click on my name I have a lot of great sites linked on my profile. OH is the best place to get ALL your questions answered, there are soooooooooo many people on this site, so ask away & we'll be glad to be hearing lots from you!! TTYS Candi