duh

I'm "brand new" and uncertain @ everything.
1. Is there a way to subject search messages ?
2. Medicare doesn't approve vsg. Does anyone understand why or if it can be appealed?
3.quoted approx $23,000 for surgery: should I ask for hernia repair at same time? Medicare would cover that
4. Is there a checklist of questions to ask when selecting a surgeon? Where could I find that?
I am totally and completely terrified at this point. I wi**** could be done without any decisions on my part. Taking ativan helps a little...

Where do I go from here?

Welcome ! top right of screen is a search site type in info you want to know this will take you there.

thanks for pointing that out.  i was able to use it effectively.  please indulge my paranoiah who or what sponsors this forum?  it looks like every surgeons na

me appears on he list. since the first provider to actually turn me away did so with great animoisity, and apparently because i stubbornly insisted medicare would pay for vsg while their office kept saying no, they wont, i am seriously wondering what is going on?  is it safe to talk here?  

Yes you are right Dr. do sponsor. Altho mine is not one of them and of course all the adds help also.I think each and everyone of us worried about being declined even if we new our insurance covered it. Good luck in your search.I spent many hours okay :Hell days and weeks researching. Go into this with your eyes wide open and have that mind set also,Agin, Good luck.Sorry I had private ins. so I can't answer alot of your ques. But others will. 

create a new post asking those who appealed/appealed medicare for help- they probably wont see this post otherwise

what i did was search under medicare and vsg so was able to discover that many patients have had similar experience to mine.  thanks for taking the time to respond.

Moosie - I'm just over a week out from getting my sleeve so I've been where you are. Regarding your last comment, my advice is to go into this process with your eyes wide open and your mind clear. Read the posts here to find out from other members about their successes (and there are many!) as well as failures. Own your sleeve starting with the surgeon selection process and all the subsequent choices you have to make. Do your research. You will be better prepared for the tough days and over the moon with the good ones. Trust me you will have doubts and be scared - all of us were. Hang in there and good luck!

sorry i couldnt reply to thank u for your feedback sooner...discovered that the html2 option would allow me to respond...everything else just flashes the screen.

 

i am going into this with trepidation and overarching desire.  i feel like i am glued to the ground and soaring through space at the same time.  it is comforting to note that others have frustrations with medicare and diheartening  to realize that i wasted a full year waiting for the surgical group to trust medicare to cover the procedure which mdicare swears they cover but the providers office swore they did not.  then the providers office quote unquote swore at me and we parted on very unhappy terms.  so ive found a different proveder who is charging less than i was quoted for self pay by the first and things are moving along.  i just need to figure how to make arrangements for two cats and a dog if things dont workout and to wait til the new hospital also a center of excellence can gather all my information and assign me a date and a surgeon.

 

i told my counselor i wished someone would kidnap me, make it all happen, and toss m back down to earth.... 

hello1

 

follow up to my original duh postj meet with surgeon nov. 1.  surgery sched for nov. 7.  im a little excited a little nervous a little worried a little apprehensive a little bewildered, a little trusting and a whole lot gratefuul to all of you wholve been responding to my messages all this time.

 

what the heck ...going from a little to a lot??? grin.  thanks to all.