Approved for lap band, but have changed mine to RNY!!!!

Hello All, I was recently approved for lap band after submitting an appeal, but have decided that I want to have RNY.  I am insured by Tricare and would like to know whether I would have to go through the whole approval process again if I changed my surgery procedure? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

I have SuperMed Select and was approved for the RNY when I thought at the time I wanted the lapband.  When I called the insurance company they said I would have to start over in order to change.  Probably wouldn't have to redo everything but God only knows how much longer that would have taken! 

I'm really glad now that I had the RNY.  Only one week out and still kind of tender but doing great and feeling good. 

Best of luck to you,
luv2bnana

Thanks for your response, I was denied in February by the insurance company and submitted my appeal on the 14th of May and approval was dated for May 21st, I am kind of scared to go through this whole process again...hopefully, I will be able to get a response back from my patient advocate.

 Hi i have tricare, when i started this whole process i was dead set on Lap Band too, I was wanting the lap band all the way up until about a month before my surgery. My Doctor sat down with me one last time and we looked at the facts, he was against the band, he feels its not a good procedure.. 
Plus i had ulcers, so yeah not a good thing.. You have all the way up to your pre op day, the day they make you go do blood work, chest xrays you name it to change your mind... 
So if you want to change to RNY, call the doctors office speak to his cordinator or nurse and say I would like to change... I didn't have to go through the approval process again. They just changed the codes up... 
I hope this helps you, 
Annmarie 

Thanks Annmarie, knowing that you have Tricare and changed your mind as well makes me feel alot better, honestly.  I am worried that they would be like you have to have this or that done before we can approve that, but like you said the doctor's office only has to change the codes.  I am so excited, I now have something to look forward to when I go home on r&r even though I was happy to be seeing my family and Hubby. I am waiting for the office to open at 9 cst, so that I can call my patient advocate.  Thanks for the info.

 oh yeah i forgot i was denied three times, through tri care, because of missed info so i understand being worried... I dont' think they will care, they just know they are pay for a surgery that is going to help your life... 

hey girl. i don`t think this is gonna be a problem call ur dr`s office and let them know. they will help u to figured that out.
and if you have to wait a lil longer to get the surgrey you want, do it. don´t have a surgery u are not 100% sure u want.  you need to be sure u are gonna live with that the rest of you life. which is agood thing lol
hugs, and keep us posted!
hugs.

Hey, I spoke with the patient advocate at the clinic and she stated that changing my procedure would not be a problem ,she said that they may have to submit some different papers to the insurance company and that is about it, but I am now IFFEY about Tricare, so I will be praying everything goes smooth with that.  The only thing that I have to do is get my blood work done and have the results sent to the doctor, so that when I go home on r&r I can have my procedure, I sure hope two weeks will be enough time off because I am unable to take longer, but I usually heal pretty quick and hope that this would not be any different. I am thinking that I will be having my procedure in about a month and a half tops, YAYAYAYAYAY, I am still so excited and can not wait to get the ball rolling...

Thank you all for your advice!!!!

 i don't think tricare will have a problem with it, in the long run for tricare its cheaper, plus you only get three fills with tricare the rest is out of pocket expeinse. not sure that was covered with you at your doctors office... Anyways paper work isn't hard for them to do, and just a fax.. So i hope nothing changes, i was one month prior when i talked to my doctor about the switch up... No delayed, other then instead of being his first surgery in the mornings since he does bands, gallbalder then RNY i was like one of his last surgerys... but it worked out and i got RNY..
Have a good time on R&R.... by the way why are you over seas and have tricare, are you activity duty? 
i need to add you to my buddy list too...so i can keep up with you  
Take care 
Annmarie