Question:
How long does it take most people to get surgery after they start the process?
My life is on hold until I get my surgery (I physically can't do a lot of things, don't want to start a new job until after surgery so I won't have to worry about insurance and time off, etc.). Every day that I sit here waiting for the surgeon's office to call is agony. How long does it take most people to get surgery from the time they first start the process? — Susan B. (posted on March 29, 2002)
March 29, 2002
Hi Susan, I know how hard it is to wait. I just recently got approval and
a surgery date. First you have to get all of that pre-op testing (could be
a while waiting for appointments with cardiologist, PCP, psychologist,
etc), then submitting it all to your surgeon's office and waiting for them
to send it off to insurance (depends on the office traffic), then waiting
for insurance approval (took less than a day for CIGNA to approve me, but
can take up to 3 weeks I hear). Do call and make sure the insurance
company got the paper work and don't be afraid to call and ask about the
status of your request for pre-approval, by the way. Then, if you get
approval, you can make your surgery date. How far away the date is depends
on how booked your surgeon is. It might help to talk to other patients (or
just ask his scheduling secretary) how long the wait usually is. My doctor
had about a 1 month wait. You didn't say what you were waiting to hear
from your surgeon's office, but if it is insurance approval you are waiting
for, call your insurance company. They can better tell you where you
stand. In total, from pre-op testing, to getting a date, it took me about
4 months (but I'm a student and haven't got a lot of time to make doctors
appointments, so it was hard to find times I could schedule things). My
surgery is still 2 months away though, although I could have gotten it done
sooner. I am just waiting for the semester to end. Good luck!
— [Deactivated Member]
March 29, 2002
Did you have to go for additional testing? Has your paperwork been
submitted to the insurance company? Have you been approved by the
insurance company? I guess I have to ask those questions because you
didn't state where you were "in the process". If you've been
approved by your insurance company, I'd definately call the doctor's office
and ask them when they will be scheduling your surgery. From my first
consult to the time I actually got the surgery date it was a month. Then I
had to wait 7 weeks for my surgery.
— Patty H.
March 29, 2002
I made my first call to my surgeon's office in early June of 2001 and had
my surgery on December 10. It took me 2 months to get the initial consult,
another month of testing and waiting on results to be faxed, and then a 3
month wait after getting my date. It all went by pretty fast and has been
worth ever minute of waiting. This surgery is getting more popular by the
day, though. From what I understand new patients to my doctor are waiting
about a year for their big day! I'm so glad that I got this done when I
did. Good luck to you!
— Donna L.
March 29, 2002
I waited 2 days to get into the doctor for a consultation and had my
surgery a month and a few days later, that included pre-op testing,
insurance approval and even cancelling the surgery once. Had I not had to
cancel the surgery, it would have been less then a month! I just varies by
doctor.
— Rosario T.
March 29, 2002
I had to fight for nine long months. My insurance company was a pain in the
a## to deal with.
— Danmark
March 29, 2002
To clairify, my surgeon requires that you get evaluations from a
psychiatrist and an endocrinologist before he will make an initial
consultation with you. I have seen these doctors and the surgeon's office
has had the evaluations for 3 weeks. The surgeon needs to look at my
paperwork and see if it's what he's looking for. If so, his nurse will
call me to make my initial appointment. That's what I'm waiting on! I
know the surgeon was out of town for 2 weeks, so that may be the hold up,
but I know that if he gets around to it next week, I still won't get an
initial consultation until May at the earliest per his office staff. I am
just so tired of the waiting even though I only started the process 2
months ago. It just seems like the whole thing takes forever and I haven't
even started the insurance approval process yet!
— Susan B.
March 29, 2002
I called my surgeons office in April, got a consult date in May. Got
approval in June and had surgery in July. Three months from start to
finish. I got my psych eval and nutritionist appt done before the consult
because my insurance required it. It all went pretty fast.
— Dawn H.
March 29, 2002
I know what you're going through. Where I live, the surgeon of choice is
extremely busy and I was told when I started the process in November 2001
that I wouldn't be on the schedule until probably late fall of 2002. I
keep hoping that things are quicker than that, but I'm holding on and
trying to help myself by eating better and getting some exercise before my
surgery. Hold tight. The'll call.
— Sue F.
March 29, 2002
I called for a consult in June, had my first appointment scheduled for Oct
30, spent a ton of time completing all the necessary pre-consult stuff like
pysch evaluation, dietary counseling (dietician), internal medicine
specialist (thyroid issues), endoscopy (GERD), and pulmonologist (sleep
study w/diagnosis of OSA). After all of that I still needed to have more
stuff done! It's almost April and I'm still waiting on insurance--they
have been a pain in the arse to deal with even though they are supposed to
be one of the easier companies (AETNA). If I am approved in the next few
weeks, I may have surgery in May at the earliest! It can take forever but
the wait will be worth it, just ask any post-op! Hang in there!
— jenn2002
March 29, 2002
I was very aggressive in my pursuit of WLS. I started in March 2001, and I
had my surgery in February 2002.
— Kathy J.
March 29, 2002
Susan- My first suggestion is to be PROACTIVE. Contact the insurance
company first and develop a contact person. Explain what your going through
and get a fax number for the person who is in charge of BENEFIT
DETERMINATION. Take this info along with a copy of your medical records to
your consult.Tell them that this person at the insurance company is
expecting and waiting for your letter.(this will help expediate the doctors
office)Then contact the insurance company and doctors office until it taken
care of. After approval explain to dr. your situation and the need to have
it done earlier.(this may not give you a earlier date, but they will put
you on a list to move up if there are any cancellations) I was surprised
myself, but it only took me 5 weeks from the time I called for a consult to
surgery. 2/27/02-4/3/02. Again be PROACTIVE and don't take excuses. Good
Luck.-David
— David R.
June 8, 2003
I called my surgeon's office in May, got a consult for June 5, 2003 and now
my surgery is scheduled for August 18th 2003. My DR. does not require a
sleep study or mmpi..just bloodwork and an ekg:) Good luck!
— kathy B.
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