Question:
How long should it take my surgeon's office to submit my preauthorization?

I am on my last leg here. I really want to change surgeons, but I have already wasted 6 months waiting on the people I'm dealing with now. It took 5 months for me to get an initial consultation with this surgeon. This is not what I was told up front. If I had known this, I would have gone to someone else right off the bat. I was told next month and next month and maybe next month until 5 months passed. So I saw the surgeon and now I am waiting on his office to send the preauthorization info to my insurance company. It has been 3 weeks and they still haven't sent it. I call again and again. They are busy. Sorry. Will get to it soon, etc. etc. They will not schedule surgery for me until they get insurance approval, which won't happen if they never submit the request! I have been laid off from my job and am spending my very limited severance pay on COBRA insurance and waiting for this surgery. I am doing NOTHING but waiting on this surgery and my time is running out. I know a lot of people have to wait a long time to get surgery, but then I read about all these people who have surgery within 2 months of beginning the process and I want to scream. I can't see starting all over at this point. Any suggestions or words of wisdom? I am really, really ticked. Thanks!    — Susan B. (posted on July 4, 2002)

July 4, 2002
Wow. i feel very bad for you. I know how hard this waiting game can be. My suggestion- don't start off with another surgeon either, it can be another 6 months there, as well! Go to your surgeon's office in person. Explain your situation to them, say you do not expect anything different than anyone else, except that your insurance forms and everything be sent to insurance right away. AND say, "i will not have insurance for much longer- please help me!" ofcourse be nice, and be patient with them if you can! I know my surgeon's office and many others schedule my surgery date before they even hear from the insurance companys b/c it is easier that way for them, but I guess every doctor is different. hope this helped you a little bit. I can't imagine how hard this is for you esp since you lost your job. i wish you all the luck and hope they speed it up!! :) (summer is a great time for a garage sale if you have some old stuff to get rid of- great way to make some extra $ )
   — Lezlie Y.

July 5, 2002
I think I would call around to other surgeons in the area that do this surgery, explain where you are in the WLS process, and see if they could see you and possibly be able to schedule your surgery quickly. If they can, and will, ask if they would accept all the consultation notes from the dr.s you have met already, so you don't have to repeat the process again. If you find one, you can then choose which way to go, if not, you will be a bit more comfortable in the surgeon you have knowing you have looked into other dr's as well. I also agree with the previous post thought, I wokiwqoi/.,uld go to the office as well, and see if you can make any progress that way. Maybe ask them for a surgery date now.
   — Tami D.