New Here trying to get approved having trouble with new start

and bcbs insurance,  NS  tells me I have to have documentation for the last 2 years of trying to loose weight. I have only been on one plan where I was tracked and that was on HMRand 3 years ago. I am now on Medicare and BCBS supplement. and also the Physc evaluation,   I have now extra money to pay for a 10minute visit and answer 4 questions. I also live about 1 &1/2 hour from Dr. and Hospital. Does any one have any advice for me.   May be I am making excuses I do not knowl It seems like every avenue I take there is a road block. Thanks

My mom isw on medicare. she going though new start. they told us that she did not need all that stuff since she is on medicare. i know bcls does cause that is who i am going thought where you at?

Thank You, I will ask them about that. My Dr. Primary has written them 3 times and they still insist on more.  I am in Carrollton,Il.    about 50 north of St. Louis , I am going to go to St. Alexius  hospital and Dr. Richardson. I am really getting discouraged, besides, I am not sure whether this is for me. I have fears and doubts.  I hope to get answers to these.    Thanks again. 

I have medicare and BCBS supplement.  I bypassed BCBS all together and went with medicare only.  That way I didn't have to jump through all the hoops that BCBS requires. The only requirements for medicare is that the WLS is medically necessary and that it be done at a "Center for Excellence." Check with your hospital to see if it is in fact a "Center for Excellence."  If so you should have no troubles.

Thanks Ronna, Did you have to pay what medicare didn't pay.   I cannot afford to do that. On very limited income. I     will find out about Center for Excellence , and if they are not where do I find one     Caroly n

Hi Carolyn, Yes I had to pay the Medicare Part A deductible forthe hospital. I think it was about $950 and of course the Part B deductible for the doctor.  All toll, my share was abot $2,000 and then Medicare covered everything else.  At that point my BCBS also started to pay for all the doctor's visits, labs, etc. Anything that Medicare didn't pay they covered.

carolyn,  My name is Missy. I live in Medora I went to new start also and had Dr. Richardson as my surgeon I am 4 months out . It has been the beat thing I have ever done for myself!!!!! I will tell you though it was a very long hard road to get to the point of surgery. I had to jump through tons of hoops to get insurance approval. I had to get a cardiac clearance, a pulomonologist clearance, of course the psyche eval and I was denied 2 times I wrote a letter of appeal and was finaly approved in 2004, then the most terrible thing happened the hospital called and said the would not do the surgery there due to the fact taht the launguage in their contract with GHP would not pay them enough to  do the surgery and GHP would not negotiate because ther were other programs I could go through  but at more out of pocket cost to me. I let it go until last fall when a friend at work had the surgery  and encouraged me to try again and what luck the contract had changed and on Feb 20 2007 my life changed for the best. You will love Dr R he's wonderful his staff is great the surgery team at St A is excellent the hospital is soso but you can deal with it My whole point here is to not get discouraged and go for it  because you will never regret it . any time you want to chat get in touch

 Hi Missy, so glad you are close, and I am getting discouraged and I know that I have to do this someway. I am going to cardiologist Monday and He said he wanted me to have this surguery and He would get me in at Des Pere , I also have a niece up at Belvedere and there used to be a Bariatric Center there., So I just have not done a lot with the Dr. Elving in Jeresyville, I just went to her every 6 months and mostly what I did I did on my own except about 3 years ago I went to Springfield and went to Dr. Solar and was on a fasting diet call HMR,  That is Documented I do not know whether I could get them to send me the records or not. Dr. Elving has filled out 3 letters for me and they still want more. like I said you sure have to jump through hoops. I think I will call insurance company myself and see what they wa nt. I can't seemed to communicate with NS .  Did you have a hard time finding the Dr. and Hospital and did you have lap band or by pass, I really do not want to have by pass, I am 65 and I just don 't want to do anything really drastic, I want to be a ble to function and I am afriad of feeling sick and not being able to live a normal life. I know in a lot of ways I don't now but at least I can function. I k now in past when I have been successful I sabotage myself.   Don't know why but there it is. I know this will not be easy , but there is just me to take care of me.    Do not want to be burden.   Thanks to all of you who have answered and helped me.      Keep in touch

Now see, I have BCBS of CA and I didn't have any problems at all.  I filled out the paperwork from NS and listed my "lifetime" of diets which was about 18 yrs worth.  Honestly, I didn't have any "supervised" diets, but noted I did WW (just wasn't a member).  I had nothing but a very positive experience with NS.  My surgeon was Dr. Wagner.  Now, he did have me do a heart stress test, but that made me more comfortable with the surgery.  Once I had all the necessary paperwork turned into NS, I had my initial visit with Dr. Wagner and they faxed everything to BCBS.  It was about 10 days and I got my approval.