April 13, 2006

• WLS Update…

  Well…since I last posted about the WLS (weight loss surgery) I’ve contacted the surgeon’s office of which I was originally going to have do the surgery.  At the time that I attended the seminar put on by this surgeon last Fall he was “in network” for my insurance.  However, since that time he is now listed as “out of network”.

  
  

  Why does everything have to be SO damn complicated??

  
  

  Anyway, I didn’t find this out until I finally talked to someone from his office to schedule my consultation.  I went ahead and scheduled the consultation just in case I’m not able to get in with another surgeon who is “in network” beforehand.  My insurance covers 70% for “out of network” surgeons and I would have to pay the $500 deductible and possibly at least $1000 beyond that in charges.  Not too bad…but if I can get this done by an “in network” surgeon it would be covered 100%.

  
  

  So I tried contacting the “in network” surgeon’s office and again got someone’s voicemail telling me that they would get back to me within 24 hours.  Well a person DID contact me the very next day and informed me that I couldn’t just schedule a consultation with this surgeon without attending HIS seminar.  I explained that I had already attended the seminar put on by his affiliate and she said that it wasn’t good enough, that I MUST attend HIS seminar in order to be registered to setup a consultation.  My heart sunk right then and there.  Usually these seminars are scheduled like every 3 months or so and I saw the schedule posted on the website and the next one listed was in July.

  
  

  But I asked her anyway to go ahead and schedule me for the next seminar.  To my surprise she informed me that it’s next Thursday!  I asked her to repeat that…and again she tells me that it’s next Thursday at Rose Medical Center.  I told her what the website stated and that I was very concerned that I was going to have to wait a couple more months but was very happy to hear that the schedule listed was incorrect.  She said that they had a cancellation and that she could get me registered for that seminar.  So I did just that and now Jason and I are going to attend this seminar next Thursday.

  
  

  I realize that not all surgeon’s do these procedures the exact same way and have different requirements and all, but good grief!!  On the other hand, I’m glad that Jason will be able to have the opportunity to join me for this seminar considering he wasn’t able to attend the last one.  I think it may help him fully understand exactly why I’m making this decision and what is going to happen and how.  My mom also mentioned that she would like to attend and that’s fine also.  I think this may be very informative for them both.

  
  

  I just wish that this wasn’t such a mundane task and at the same time I understand that this is a life changing decision and that it’s definitely not something that anyone should take lightly but why do they have to make it so damn difficult to get it done once a doctor has recommended it and a patient has made the decision that it’s best for them?  It’s just…frustrating.

  
  

  Anyway…enough bitching.

  
  

  Thank you all for your comments and support and prayers and thoughts.  I appreciate it all SO very much.

  
  

  

  • 10:38 am
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