Question:
Has anyone had problems being approved by Virginia Medicaid/Medallion?

I had my initial consult on 4/17/01. It is now 5/4/02!!! My medical info was sent off and Medicaid returned a response requesting me to have an orthopedic evaluation and get a recommendation from the orthopedist for my WLS. I got that. The recommendation was sent back in by the surgeon's office in March, 2002. It has now been over 6 weeks since and still no word. Every time I try to find out the status of my case, I get the run around from somebody. Yesterday, I wrote my congressman asking if he can help me find out what's going on from Medicaid. Does anybody else have any other advice about this? I'm getting so discouraged. I seem to be a very unusual case for some reason and I don't understand why. But back in January, my regular doc informed me that my diabetes has now caused kidney damage and that if my diabetes doesn't get under control, the next step for me is going to be dialysis. I watched my mother run on dialysis for 18 years. I watched her health deteriorate from it because the dialysate that they used to dialyze her deteriorated the blood vessels going to her brain and heart. She eventually lost her mind from having so many strokes and TIAs. I just don't think I could go on dialysis after experiencing what she went through. And I feel as if I am just doomed to suffer till I die because nobody seems to care as long as it isn't happening to them. Please advise me. I am so desperate to try anything to get this surgery done and improve my health while it is still an option for me to have.    — SnowWhiteDove459 (posted on May 4, 2002)


May 4, 2002
Robin I am sorry to hear that you are having such a hard timeand I will pray that things will get better for you. I just wanted to tell you that I am new to Va and I have medicaid . I had my consult on March 11 and have done all my pre op testing with out any problems from medicaid. I did have to get approval for the actual surgery and the doctors office sent it in 2 weeks ago and within one they had requested a letter from my renal doctoe asking if wls would be ok for me to have from their stand point, which it was. They approved my surgery this past Wensday I am set for June 6th. I was told by medicaid that the have 30 days to render a decision. You can call the medicaid office and ask for the 800 number in Richmond and they can tell you the status of your case. I called and they told me. It is the medicaid help line. I hope this helps you get things sorted out and get that surgery done. Good luck and best wishes to you..
   — Subrina D.




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