Venting....ugh

Okay, so I have allowed to get myself all worked up over this, but I am not 100% for sure yet if there is anything to get worked up over... Let me give y'all a little background into what's going on...

I am nearly at the end of my journey of meeting the qualifications to submit for insurance approval... Done the psych eval, gone out of my way to collect medical records documenting my weight history, and gone to all of the nutritionist appointments (6 months) except my last one which is scheduled for December 2nd. This is the 180th day, when we can submit for approval. I currently have ALL my ducks in a row, and only have to go to this last visit... I have BCBS of MN PPO, and as long as I have the criteria, from what I've been told by everyone, I'll have no trouble being approved!!! So we've been counting on me having surgery in January....

Well yesterday I get a company wide email that we have changed plan administrators, to Anthem BCBS. And now HR, or no one can tell me if the new plan (effective Jan 1st) covers or excludes WLS.

And if any of you know about the insurance (Which most of u do!!!) you know, the since the insurance has 30 days to give a response for wls approval, of course BCBS of MN is going to wait the whole 30 days, taking them into 2009, when I won't be covered under them anymore!!!

So I have to wait two weeks for my company's hr service center to have the full details of our new plan... I am sooo frustrated! I am at the end of this, I have five people at work that I have helped get started with the process, and it will break my heart if this is an exclusion...

I already have a plan b. I will quit. I will find a company that's insurance does cover it!!!

Okay, so sorry for venting.. It may not be excluded, but knowing my luck, it will. I will let yall know when I find out something!

Wow, that sucks! Good luck, I hope everything works out for you.

Marie

No no no! Do not cross that bridge until you get to it.  No stressing!  My BCBS took about 25 minutes to approve me...seriously.  Noone has a set amount of time, so lets be positive on this one and hope they approve you in about 1 day =]  Though thats very optimistic I doubt they'll take the whole 30 days

Your company should be able to give you your new group number and you can call the insurance yourself to find out. If not you should be able to call your new insurance tell them who you work for and they should be able to look it up. Its unbelieveable that nobody at your job can answer this for you, I would assume since its November and theyve already decided to switch that they have selected plans and already signed the papers with the insurance company.

Either way I will keep my fingers crossed for you - I would get your paperwork submitted ASAP to your new insurance, they may or may not take 30 days to respond, I will say this is the busiest time of year thou because most plans run calander year and people rush at the end to get in procedures before their deductible starts over etc... so the sooner the better.

I'd explain the situation to your HR director and ask for the contact information for the new plan administrators.  Then get on that phone and start making calls to find out if you'll be covered under the new plan.  Your paperwork may be transferrable, but I can't begin to predict what's going to happen.  Just know that you can be your own best advocate and don't have to wait around for someone else to give you answers.  Do it yourself and feel stronger by being informed.

We're here for you, so vent all you need to.  The waiting is horrible!
Heather