Approval

Hello All,

I'm brand new to the site and so thrilled to be a part of something so important in my life! I received my surgery date of February 11, 2014...Yay! But, I was just wondering what the most common wait time is to get the approval for surgery from your insurance company?

6 months. I have been working toward this for over 18 months. 

*edit to add, I have Tricare through the military. 

Wow! That must be very frustrating and ridiculous! I thought that Tricare was an awesome company for bariatric surgeries...who knew? If you don't mind me asking...what is the underlying problem for your approval?

Most don't take anywhere near six months.  With most it's anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Welcome

Ahh! Thanks so much  :)

Once all the preliminary requirements were completed, it took about two and a half weeks for the insurance company to review everything and approve it. However, one of their requirements was a six month supervised nutrition plan, so that was the biggest hurdle to overcome time-wise.

Yes..I've done the 6 months with my doctor, psychological evaluation, & nutritional evaluation, and I go tomorrow for my history & physical

Haha well

I was given false info when I first started the bariatric pathway program in 2012 that I could do it even though I recently had a baby and I was still nursing. So after I did classes for so many months my NUT realized I had an infant (she was 5 months at that point). Then it became a big deal of insurance telling me I can still take classes and my NUT saying NO you need to wait because the diet we want you on will affect your milk supply.

So I was kicked out of the program. I was SO MAD at my NUT. I hated her lol.... aaaanyway I rejoined in June 2013 but I had actually gained 20 lbs since I started the program in 2012 SO I was basically kicked from the program AGAIN because I gained weight. So in order to show I was serious and ready to make real changes I had to food journal and lose 20 lbs before my NUT would even talk to me again. I accomplished that loss in December (I lost 29 lbs) and things have been very fast for me since. I just finished everything today actually! The only thing that is left is to see a surgeon and set a date! Can't believe it. 

Was it frustrating? Yes. I was incredibly depressed and broken when I was kicked in June. I cried and felt sorry for myself for a couple of days and then picked myself back up and did what I needed to do. I am a mom of 4 and I have an incredible husband. They are worth it. I am worth it. 

And I'm glad for all my hang ups in retrospect. I am stronger. I am ready.