Group Health Support Group?

Has anyone attended the Silverdale Group Health support group? I think the next one is the 19th. Just curious how it was??

Kathy

HI Kathy!  I have never done Silverdale GH support group for obvious reasons as I live in Seattle, but I always go to Central Support Gruop and I love it.  You also get to make new friends. 

I encourage you to go.  It is a good place to meet new people too and make new friends.  I started going to support group long before I had the surgery in January.  I think I started going in July or August?

Hi pixiestix!  When and where is the GH support group?

Central is 2nd weds of the month.  I will have to go and find the other locations info and get back to you.  Next group is April 8th.

HELP for a friend!

I have a friend who has Group Health who would really like to have WLS, who has MANY weight related issues, and was told that Group Health wouldn't fund WLS. I would really appreciate any help I can pass on about what you did to get GH to cover the surgery!!

THANKS!

With Group Health it depend on your insurance plan. I inquired about it with Group Health and they informed me that my employer does not have that as an option with the Group Health benefits. I do know that there are other plans that it is covered. With my employer I do not have a choice of different plans with Group Health, so for now it is not an option. Luckily for me I am double covered and can get it with my second which is Military.

Michele

I'm a GH wls patient. It does depend on which GH plan you have. My employer's GH plan last year did not cover WLS, but this year the plan we have does.  The benefit's booklet will let you know, and you can also call Customer Service.

 I also go to the Central (Capitol Hill) support group and have found it very helpful. There were a number people from the peninsula (Port Orchard, Gig Harbor, Bremerton, etc) in my class earlier this month, so I would expect that at least some of them are going to the Silverdale support group.

The nice thing about the groups, is that it is very easy to go to a couple of meetings and see if it works for you. My wife and I attend two support groups per month (one at Group Health and one at the University of Washington). They are both very  good groups and we get different things from each.

I also second the other comments on coverage with Group Health depends on the plan your one. I'm on a plan from the PEBB (Public Employees Benefits Board) and the surgery is covered under that plan. I've heard that some other plans with Group Health that don't cover it. At our information class, they said that they currently have around 250 people in the preop stages.

I can also say that I have been very impressed by the quality of care at both Group Health and the University of Washington (where my wife had her surgery)

David