Question:
Is there any way I can have my surgery 5 miles from home instead of 5 hours from home

The surgeon I am interested in is the only surgeon in town that does bariatric surgery. My cardiologist & pcp both gave me his name. The trouble is he only operates in one hospital in town because they cater to his bariatric surgery needs. Sounds perfect right? Well the doctors assistant told me the hospital does not accept my insurance. I called the hospital & they said they file claims under my insurance all the time. I called the insurance company & they said that this hospital is NOT a bc/bs provider. So I made an appt with Dr Newhoff in Phoenix AZ which is a 5 hour drive from Las Vegas. If i have my surgery in AZ it will mean my husband has to stay in a hotel the time I am in the hospital & then we have to drive 10 hours round trip for my after care visits. I would much rather have my surgery here in Las Vegas but cant afford to self pay the hospital. Anybody have any suggestions as to what I might do to get bc/bs to pay my hospital costs? I must have this surgery for medical reasons, both physical & mental. I have many co-morbids.    — sheryl titone (posted on June 11, 2001)

June 11, 2001
When they say the AZ hospital is not a bc/bs provider, it may mean that it's not in the network. Depending on your plan, there may be some percentage they will pay as out-of-network. Check with administrator. About needing to go 5 hours each way, I would balance that against the caliber of the doctor. You may find a surgeon closer, but the travel costs seem like a small price to pay if weighed against the pain and agrravation potentially due to inexperience. That the AZ surgeon has a good support team at the hospital (including an anesthetist familiar with bariatric patients) is a powerful reason to choose a doctor. I wish you the best in your decision, as I know it's a tough one. I faced a similar situation, but my sister the nurse convinced me to choose the best I could find for this kind of major surgery without regard to distance.
   — danirat

June 12, 2001
I don't know if this is the case in your state but in mine insurance companies are requried to accept a provider within a reasonalble distance. My hubby had radiation and the nearest place in the plan was 2 hours away. So they had to allow us to go to the local hospital. Lisa Polk
   — Lisa P.

June 13, 2001
I have noticed that everyone on this site has extremely long wait times for first consult, approval, etc...etc... However, I didnt look for a bariatric surgeon in my area.. I just looked for a general surgeon who does stomach surgery.. I called one day, was seen the next day and had surgery 13 days later ( i picked the day) You can look in your phone book for gastro surgeons.. dont look for the word bariatric. if they werent trained in the surgery, they wouldnt do it.
   — BrittneyPoo33