Question:
Been Going to WLS Doctor since November 2007
I have been going to a WLS Doctor and was scheduled for Surgery 2-25-08. Went thru all the hoops and was rushed my last week there to make sure everything was alright for insurance, I was in surgeon's office 2-21-08, had blood work done for the surgery on Monday and I saw another patient and she told me in front of staff that she was sorry she took my place and the office staff heard it and said no that she would be first and I would be second...On Friday, I get a call on my cell phone (1:50p.m) and the nurse told me that they had to postpone my surgery and I couldn't talk right then and I said okay..tried to call back when I could talk and they had closed their office at 2p.m. so I fumed all weekend and then Monday I called and the nurse said it was their corporate office and it would be weeks and weeks. I waited until 3-19 and called their corporate office and all of sudden I had been approved the day before and they just hadn't contact me. I was then told that I could have my surgery by the 1st of April. Called my insurance company an was told NOT THEM I was approved. I still want the surgery but not sure with that surgeon. Should I just get over it or find another doctor. (There is some things that I didn't mention) Just don't know what I should do..... — dyates2948 (posted on March 31, 2008)
March 31, 2008
I'd check with insurance company to see if they have certified any
hospitals to perform the surgery. Or try looking for a clinic that is
associated with a highly respected hospital.
— the7thdean
March 31, 2008
You need to be completely confident in your surgeon and his staff. If you
are not feeling comfortable with them I would check around. Good luck to
you!
— Carlyn M.
March 31, 2008
RUN!! RUN LIKE THE WIND, BULLSEYE!! You need to be 100% confident in your
doctor. Heck, at this point, I'm afraid FOR you! Call your insurance,
tell them about the runaround you're getting, and see what they recommend
about getting a new doctor. If they're this flaky now, what happens when
you're out of surgery and need help?!
— Jayline T.
March 31, 2008
I agree with everyone else, run hard and fast. If you can't trust the
staff, office and the corporate office who can you trust there? I would
call your insurance and check with them to see when, if ever you were
approved. I had a letter from my insurance sent out the same time that it
was sent to my WLS office letting me know I was pre-approved for the
surgery. If your dr.'s office can't even get the paper work right...can
they get the surgery right but more importantly the after care right. I
would not wait and see, I would find a whole different WLS center.
— rosheet
March 31, 2008
— William (Bill) wmil
March 31, 2008
I was approved and the insurance company said if I had the surgery 2-25-08
they would have paid for it. I have Medicare and I was on the telephone
with them for over an hour and they could not understand why it was
postponed either...I was told that the corporate got a Certificate of
Elgibilty for the surgery (no such animal for surgery) just for a
hospital...
— dyates2948
March 31, 2008
I am of differing opinion but that is ok. Ultimately it is your choice to
make. If the surgery postponement was just office politics or plain
stupidity then I would be pissed for a second and get over it. But that is
what I would do. Because ultimately my goal is to get this done with a
qualified and caring surgeon as soon as possible. I read the comments on
your surgeon and it looks like this is what you have. If you arent in a
rush to have it done then yes I would go through the process of getting
approval through another doctor and through another hospital. So you have
to decide what matters to you most. Good luck with your decision!
— B. Jones
March 31, 2008
Ask the audience - RUN! You have to trust your surgeon with the rest of
your life, f#@k him, take your $50,000 elsewhere, to someone who acts like
they care if you live or die.
— 29Diesel
March 31, 2008
Dr. Watson Roye is the new surgeon that I contacted for a second opinion
and he was great and his office was great and I found out that I didn't
have to have all the tests over and they got all my medical records that I
had been approved by Medicare....my insurance and everything is good to go.
The other problem with the other surgeon was he was paid up front....which
had to be paid before the surgery and it was. I haven't received my money
back....
— dyates2948
March 31, 2008
Thats great! I looked at the comments on Dr. Roye and that is what I wrote
about. But this is your second opinion surgeon! So it looks like you are
in great hands. Take care and good luck!
— B. Jones
March 31, 2008
Run! Run like you have never run before! This is totally unprofessional. If
the doctor and his staff are like this now they certainly are not going to
change after the surgery takes place. I would most definetly let my
insurance company know about this doctor and his staffs actions also. Good
luck on what ever your decision is.
— Brenda R.
April 1, 2008
IF THEY WONT WORK WITH YOU NOW, THEY WONT LATER EITHER! FIND ANOTHER
SURGEON! Patricia P.
— Patricia P
April 1, 2008
I agree with the fact that you should have absolute confidence in your
surgeon, the facility and his staff. This process and surgery is hard
enough mentally and physically without you being in a bad mental state or
mistrusting those who will be caring for you. I had to change facilities
and doctors after being approved by my insurance (Keystone) due to health
issues that were discovered during my pre-op testing. My cardiologist
wanted me to have the surgery in a full service hospital rather than at a
bariatric surgery center. This was pretty hard on me because it delayed my
surgery by about 6 months. I was very upset but I realized that this was
necessary. In the end, it all worked out great and I felt that the care I
received from the hospital and my surgeon was excellent. Just keep in
mind, I also had to call the original center to get them to
"release" the insurance approval I had for their facility because
my insurance company would not give me an approval for the new facility
until the old one was released. In order to do this I had to get in touch
with the original facility's corporate office. Fortunately, they were
cooperative. I had my Lap RNY on 2-21-08 and I am down 41 pounds. Good
luck to you! I'm sure that this will work out for you.
— dsmuffin
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