I GOT MY APPROVAL TODAY FROM AETNA!!!! Thank you's inside....

anyone needing info about AETNA i'll more then happy to give it. I would love to thank everyone on here that have answered questions over and over for me and have gave me encourgement to keep fighting. I am wishing everyone approval!!! Shauna

Good for you, Shauna! That's great that you offered help to anyone needing it, too. That's how we can get everyone approved, by offering our support! Take care Elisabeth

Congrata Shauna - it's such a relief when you finally know!! All the best to you!! Jan D

I would LOVE info on how to get approval on Aetna.. I have researched all the "to do things" before they will approve my surgery and it was halted on step 2 ackkkkk sooooo any help would be great Email me [email protected] Thanks

Hi Shauna! That's wonderful! I have Aetna as well, and have just started the process of getting approved. Any help you can give me would be *greatly* appreciated! Hugs, Peggy

Congratulations Shauna! I also have Aetna, and I have also been in contact with Dr. Oh. My personal PCP has known me for almost 20 years, and he is strongly in favor of this surgery for me. The funny thing is - in all his calls to Aetna, they tell him that the surgeon needs to call instead of the PCP - we are just trying to start the authorization process, so I'm not sure why they won't give information out to my Doctor. Anyway - I am ready to start the six-month diet thing - I wrote Aetna to ask about the diet plan, but your report gives me more information than they were willing to part with about that. Oh yes - the other thing I did find out: Dr. Oh's fee for the Lap proximal is around $9,000 - and when I asked Aetna how much they would pay, they only pay $3,652 - and Dr. Oh then bills the rest to the patient, since he is not contracted to accept Aetna's allowable. (there are no contracted surgeons are in WA State) So I'm going to use this next 6 months to save for that! At least Dr. Oh doesn't ask for cash up front like the clinic I spoke with in Kirkland. Those people made me feel like I was asking for some sort of back-alley surgery. They seemed to have a whole sales staff that seemed kind of pushy. They demanded cash before services, regardless of any insurance. It seemed sort of predatory to me. It just put me off - I'm not sure how others feel, but I'm sensitive to the fact that the fat on my body has helped to make a lot of people wealthy. Thanks for keeping us posted - I'll be looking forward to hearing about your progress.

Hi, Congratulations on getting your approval. I, too, had contacted the Kirkland group, since it is way closer to my home. But they startled me so over the phone with the up-front money thing no matter what the insurance was, that I never did have the courage to attend the meeting, lol. Thanks. LM

Good luck with the surgery! You must be so excited and I wish you the best. I read your profile and it sounds a LOT like myself! So onward and downward!! Mari