Hey there!  I am disabled and currently have Medicare/Medicaid coverage.  I was told by my Dr's office that I could expect up to 3 months before having the surgery.  Just curious how long it took for others with the same type of insurance, from phone call to surgery, how long it took for you to get your surgery?  Thanks

It took me a bit longer because I had to lose weight to be able to get the surgery. I was just too heavy for it to be done safely.

Three months may seem like a long time but its really not. Keep your mind occupied at all times. It helped me.

Good luck and keep us updated on how you are doing!

Hmmm, I go to my first consultation this Thursday.  I wonder if I'll be required to lose some weight.  I'm at 41.5 BMI, but have diabetes, high cholesterol and have serious problems with arthritis to all the major joints, as well as fibromyalgia and spinal stenosis/degenerative disk disease.....so the extra weight doesn't help anything in that regard.  How much weight did you have to lose before they would do the surgery?  Was this Medicare/Medicaid''s requirement, or your physician?  and....finally, how did you go about losing the weight they required of you?  I really think if they even told me I had to lose 5 pounds I"d be hard pressed to be able to get it done.   Sad, isn't it?

With your health problems, I hope you're researching the DS. Not only does the DS have the very best long-term, maintained weight-loss stats, it's also the best form of WLS for treating diabetes and high cholesterol---and, unlike the RNY, it will still allow you to take NSAIDs for your arthritis.

I had my DS as a Medicare patient. I saw the surgeon for the first time on October 30th, and had surgery on December 11th. Medicare doesn't pre-authorize, so he scheduled me a surgery date during the first consult.

I had medicaid and I had my PCP visitis, Cardiac clearance and psych eval as well as talk with the dietician before going to my surgeon. I went for my consult in April got my approval 3 weeks later and surgery in June only reason it was not sooner was my surgeon was out of town. Hope this helps. My BMI was 42.87 all he wanted me to do was go on a hi protein low card diet to shrink my liver. Then 48 hr clear liquids before surgery
Christy

Oh ok...yeah, I remember the Dr saying something about a diet (basically Adkins diet type stuff he said)  a few days before surgery to shrink the liver....cool, so maybe I won't have to lose weight.  I had forgotten about that until you mentioned that.  I'm pleased!   So how many weeks out are you from getting your surgery?  How are you feeling?  Have you lost much weight yet?    Ya know, at first the Dr told me that I would have to do 6 months of  visits with my PCP.  Later I talked to the insurance gals in his clinic and they just kinda snickered and said that would be true if Medicaid was my primary, but because Medicare was my primary, Medicaid would follow Medicare guidelines.  According to her, I won't have to do the 6 month PCP visits.  Not sure what prerequisites I'll have to do for the state of Iowa, but I'll sure do my darndest to get it done ASAP.  LOL      Leslie