Long post (sorry) - Need advice please

Keep the psych eval date. Look into Hurley or other places while you are at it. Lap band works for some and not for others just like other surgeries. At the time of my SX bandsters were losing 43% of their excess weight where it was 70 -90 for RNY and DS. I chose RNY because my surgeon had great success with it and I wanted to lose it all. I actually lost 117% of my extra weight but have stabilized to 102%. Self pay gets rid of having to deal with insurance hoops. They are hoping you get tired of them. Stay on them and look into all your options and keep a paper trail. kp

Thanks KP!  I appreciate all the advice I get! Kathy

  LOL  Kidding- call me tomorrow and let's chat.. I can answer most of your questions...after all I am the wheels of the U of M Program....LOL Shannon

You're working on Saturday???  WOW!  For some reason, I'm hearing... the wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round..... Kathy

OOPS- I  mean Monday..LOL  The wheels on the bus go round and round....

I had the RNY at Hurley but I have M-Care insurance.   I ended up paying for my Pscyh(sp) examine.  I believe it was under $300.   M-Care would NOT pay! As for Hurley's Hoops you just need your documentation and then they need to put everything together and send it out to M-Care (this took longer then I expected)   M-Care was rather fast in approving with all of my documentation and they will assign you a Bariatric Counsler.   The Counsler will be in touch by phone and help you with any problems that might occur. Explain to them that your insurance may be changing and maybe they can help expedite things.  They have been very helpful for me. As for the Hospital......they have a joing Bariatric/Burn Unit on the 5th floor.  Because of complications I spent a grand total of 6 weeks there and didn't meet a staff member I didn't like.  They were all knowledgeable about WLS, friendly, courteous, and helpful.  I told a couple of them they were the reason I couldn't stay home.....I would miss them too much(this was after they discharged me from a 2 week stay and was readmitted within 12 hrs!) Good luck no matter which way you go

Carolyn, Thank you so much for your response! I really appreciate it. Kathy

I HAD M-Care (now it's BCN) and went through Hurley two years ago.  They paid for my psych eval if I went to one of their psychs, which was no problem.  (When all was said and done with my surgery, I think I paid a total of about $100 out of pocket.....I never even saw a bill for my surgery.)  With M-Care and Hurley, I started the process in April  05, with my consultation at Hurley.  I had surgery on August 11 of 05 with Dr. Farhan.  I have had no complications or anything.  Once M-Care received my paperwork, I was approved in 24 hrs.  The longest thing with the whole process was being scheduled for surgery because the docs were on vacation most of the summer.  So, I did have to wait a month for that.  I know UofM has a great program (I have to say that or Shannon will beat me up and call me names!), but if you have a time crunch and there are other equally viable options, I would definitely look into them. Oh, by the way, my BMI was 51.  I don't know what it is now....haven't checked in a while...somewhere in the mid 30 range now, I think.   I have been nothing but satisfied with Hurley, the surgeons, the nurses...everything has been great. Good luck on the process!  Tina

Nice save...LOL

Oh, by the way, I had LAP RNY.