Medicaid coverage in Louisiana for Gastric Sleeve

Hi Stacy,

Did your insurance say it was a pre-op requirement to do the evolution and tracking? If so, get in touch with them and work with your PCP. If not, follow the instructions above and have your PCP fax over the referral to the surgeon's office to get in line. As you can imagine they are backing up.....

Good Luck!

How do you find a pcp that will help you with weight and finding a doctor mine won't

First things first find a bariatric surgeon who takes your medicaid. Seeming That all Medicaid doesn't have the same network provider, when you find a surgeon you need to ask what forms of Medicaid do they accept. Once you get that squared away ask them to mail you a checklist of all things you must have done including the weight check in sheet that your PCP has to fill out monthly for 6 months. Secondly, Get a PCP (Primary Care Physician) tell them that you are attempting to have bariatric surgery because they have to submit a referral letter to your surgeon stating why surgery is necessary for you. They will run multiple blood tests on you that must be done like thyroids, certain cancers, etc. However, once you tell them you're having weight loss surgery they will already know what tests need to be done. Your BMI must be 40 and above to be considered a candidate and you must have a pre-existing condition that is a result of being overweight such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. IF YOU HAVEN'T gotten checked for those things your PCP can run tests on you. Third, you have to have a Psych Evaluation. You can either pay $150 and do it online or you can see your own Psychiatrist and ask them to do it for you. Psychiatrist charge for evaluations as well but you can be reimbursed by Medicaid your out of pocket expenses in that regard. Next you have to find a cardiologist to do an EKG on your heart showing that your heart is healthy enough for surgery. The Cardiologist must fax the results to your surgeon. I'm sure that covers all bases. It is a lot to absorb but the time will go by pretty fast. The hardest part of the process is finding a surgeon in Louisiana who takes Medicaid and ACTUALLY get an appointment. That has been the dilemma for the vast majority of us on this thread. Good luck to you! ??

Thanks you so much!

Thank you so much! I am still trying to find a doctor.

From my understanding, you can have a BMI of 35 if you also have hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea etc.... you have to have at least 2 of the other illnesses that they list. Not exactly sure what the others are but, it's on the medicaid website.

Hello have you hd surgery yet and if so what doctor did you use

I'm so angry and upset that I don't know what to do! I've gone through all of this ONLY to have this last doctor say he's NOT taking "out of area patients"....there's absolutely no doctor's in my area a literally a handful of doctors in the state of Louisiana that even do the surgery! I feel like falling apart. I have a time sensitive case because I have a torn ACL. My orthopedic surgeon will NOT operate on me without this surgery first. I'm living with pain everyday and I've done everything requiredvof me ONLY to hit another brick wall! I'm literally over here falling apart. I'm sorry, I just had to vent!

???? oh no, that is absolutely heartbreaking. What area of Louisiana is this Dr. located in?

Hi Nisha,

Here is the information, they are located in Olla LA, not sure where that is?

UPDATE: Dr. Jeb Butler

Hartner Medical Clinic

1040 North Pine Road

Olla, LA 71465

(318)495-3880

*IMPORTANT INFO: PLEASE READ BELOW!****

YOUR PCP MUST FAX YOUR REFERRAL TO THE OFFICE FIRST AND THEY WILL CALL YOU TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. (Fax is (318)495-3882.) Ask receptionist for Eve's VOICEMAIL ONLY AFTER YOUR REFERRAL HAS BEEN FAXED. It will take her 72 hours or a little more to return your phone calls as Ashe is OVERWHELMED with them, so please try and be patient.