I am getting down to the last appointment before my file is sent to medicaid to await approval. The doc's office says it could take a couple of weeks to hear something back, which does not fit into "my" time frame (lol).
I want to know how long did you have to wait between the file being sent and hearing back?

I am not sure how other insurances work, but medicaid does not do pre-approval. This means that I had to do a supervised 6 month wait, my psych eval, visit a nutritionist,ect before I know if I am approved. At my initial consult, I was advised that I should be approved based on my bmi. I did well with losing a few pounds in the first 2 months, but went back to school (stress eater) and gained a few back. Still down overall from starting. As hard as it is to be patient for 6 months, I am afraid these next two weeks are going to be pure hell (half sarcasm).

Thanks. You are all awesome!

I'm confused.  If Medicaid does not pre approve, why do you want to wait for approval?

I have Medicare, and they do not pre approve.  If you meet their criteria, you just have surgery, then the surgeon and hospital submit the bill and they pay.  There is nothing to submit pre op for approval, because they don't pre approve.

Hmmm, it was my understanding that "pre-approve" meant that you have to jump through the requirements before they will say if they will cover it for you. But the case file person at the doc's office still made it seem that medicaid can turn down a person for any number of reasons. This lets me know that I need more clarification. Thank you!

Pre approve means they guarantee in writing that they will cover your WLS before you have the surgery.

Medicare can refuse to pay for a surgery for a number of reasons.  For instance, if you have WLS and your BMI is too low and your surgeon submits the bill, they are not going to pay for it.  But if you meet their criteria and have the surgery, they will pay for it.  They cannot refuse to pay if you meet their criteria.

However, Medicare doesn't pre approve - you can't submit your info before having surgery and get a letter from them promising that they will pay for it.

I don't know how Medicaid works in your state, though.

2 days for me.

Less than a week.

Less than 24 hours!!

I finished all the pre-op hoops - for six months....and was medically cleared yesterday 12/11, so they submitted to my insurance company yesterday.  I was approved (!!!) today and am now scheduled for surgery!  Waaaay faster than I expected the ins to come back, but I was very careful to jump thru every hoop they put up there.  Plus I have a fantastic family doctor and surgeion who both made sure all the I's were dotted and the T's crossed!  :)

hey so did u get approved for ur surgery