One more approval needed...
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nakeddog
Posts: 79 Member
I've been doing everything required by the team I have to see. The nurse (he goes over the whole process, and checks in on all the steps), the dietitian, and the psychologist. One more person, I saw in the beginning, and she is the Internist dr (similar to a family doctor), she had the initial bloodwork up done etc...and I had no further reason to see her. Now she gets the final say, as to me moving forward to the wait list for surgery.
I see her next week. The other 3 have all signed off and approved me, I will continue to see them for support and make sure I am on track, but the evaluation phase is almost done...yay!!
Still tho, even if the dr approves me, I still have to meet the surgeon, and I will be in the surgery wait list, and that time is still a year. Crossing fingers that I can be short listed, I will take last minute, cancellations...anything. I am more than ready.
My process has gone like this:
Family dr...sent referral Jan 2014
The weightloss clinic received it and I had first appt with them, May 2016
May-Nov 2016, multiple appts with clinic.
I see her next week. The other 3 have all signed off and approved me, I will continue to see them for support and make sure I am on track, but the evaluation phase is almost done...yay!!
Still tho, even if the dr approves me, I still have to meet the surgeon, and I will be in the surgery wait list, and that time is still a year. Crossing fingers that I can be short listed, I will take last minute, cancellations...anything. I am more than ready.
My process has gone like this:
Family dr...sent referral Jan 2014
The weightloss clinic received it and I had first appt with them, May 2016
May-Nov 2016, multiple appts with clinic.
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Replies
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You're saying the surgeon is booked a YEAR OUT??? My surgeon - the head of the Bariatric Center of Excellence at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore - did my surgery 3 weeks after my final approval; I had them wait an extra week to book me so my sister could come over from Brussels to stay with my kids. Crossing fingers for you!0
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A year wait? Seems odd to say the least. Where do you live if I may ask? I started my process (six months supervised diet, psychologist, etc.) October 2015 and even with insurance company shenanigans, I had my surgery on August 18, 2016. When I went for my first seminar, I chose what doctor I wanted to perform my surgery. Once the insurance approval letter arrived, I was scheduled for 14 days and/or 2 weeks later.0
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Yes a year still of waiting after being approved, I have to continue to maintain, or lose...and if I gain (over the highest weigh in weight), I am disqualified.
In total, this will be a 3 yr process...from beginning to end. It took 16 mths just from the referral from my family doctor to the bariatric clinic. They have 3 surgeons I believe, and they are just that busy, also they have to share time with the O.R...for other surgeries...it's not a private hospital.
My surgery will be free, and also when the time comes, I will also get the skin removal off the stomach only...any other is cosmetic and I'd have to pay.
I am in AB, Canada1 -
Glad to see you FINALLY making more headway!2
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Ok, that makes sense. It seems depending on where you live there is good & bad. While your procedure is 100% covered, procedures in the States are not. With my particular insurance, I had to meet a huge out-of-pocket maximum before the insurance kicked in. Six months of dietician visits, regular doctor office visits, RX fills and the various tests all cost me. After insurance, I still had to pay around $1,500 toward the surgery itself. The insurance also will not pay a dime for excess skin removal afterward. I'm not at a point where I even know if it will be an issue worth pursuing for me, but my wife has been flat-out denied as have many other people I know.
So good & bad on either side. In any event, I'm super happy for you that you are on the road to getting it done.1 -
Having the surgery covered here is a very nice thing, once you get into the hospital they take very good care of you, they see it thru beginning to end. We also have blue cross, but that helps in other areas.
The first thing I asked was about skin removal...because I knew I would need it. I've had 4 kids, the last set being twins. That area is completely stretched out, and would be a deflated balloon if I lose the weight. It would be terrible if I couldn't have it.
There is definitely good and bad., I wish my dr would have listened to my requests when I hit 38-40 years. He always felt I could do this on my own...and basically the past 20 yrs I tried everything...and finally came to prove to him I can't. Now I'm 44, and I just pray I get this done before turning 45. I still want to accomplish so much, and my kids are still young...I want to be so much more active and social for them, and not have my health slow me down anymore.2
