Question:
GETTING THE SURGERY YOU WANT DONE

I have a surgery date scheduled for September 5, 2001. My question is, can you choose the surgery I want or what the insurance carrier approves for? I WANT the RNY procedure done, but I have been approved for the VGB. Through my research, I have found that the RNY is more permanent, and the VGB has a failure rate of 3-5 years down the road. Can I convince the surgeon to do the RNY? I need answers to those who have had this happen to them, etc..    — Jennifer C. (posted on August 12, 2001)

August 12, 2001
This is something that should've been delt with at the surgeon's office in the first place, not to blame you but moreso the surgeon for not going over this with you. But it is not likely if your insurance approved the VBG will the surgeon do an RNY as most insurances are kind of picky about this. Most will even get down to whether they can do it lap or have to do it open, so with a surgery date so soon you may want to call your surgeon and make sure s/he does the RNY and then call your insurance to see what you have to do on their part to get the procedure changed..
   — Elizabeth D.

August 13, 2001
You should have a talk with your surgeon....pronto. If agrees to the Rny, the surgeon's office should contact your insurer to get approval for the rny. This isn't something you should try on your own, let your surgeon hash this out with the insurer because the insurer wlll definitely need clinical documentation.
   — [Anonymous]