Henry Ford Hospital/HAP

No offense taken, HFH is my neighborhood! If I call 911 the ambulance will only take me to HFH!...I also live in a drug infested neighborhood (ghetto) and know that when these dope fiends get sick they ALSO go to HFH...When ever I go to HFH all there seems to be is drug addicts...this is what makes me so leary...But the information you gave me is very helpful though...Do you have HAP_HMO? I have been treated at Beaumont and fell in love with the treatment and all the test they ran and the staff......Could you tell me if you would recommend HAP-HMO I want to commit to a insurance that will be less complicated when it comes to getting approved....I am at a total loss on how to begin and what questions to ask etc....making my switch in insurance will not be an easy decision because it will also affect my husband but  the good thing is that we are not committed to one particular DR. I appreciate you commenting on my post and I respect you opinion  because you are a nurse and you worked at Beaumont and not HFH....THANK YOU for your honesty

I work at HFH currently and am no longer at Beaumont. Very long story don't want to get into it. There is a lot of diversity down at HFH as far as patient population goes. We do get all kinds of patients, rich, poor, drug addicts, homeless, basically the same types of patients Beaumont gets. Drunks and drug addicts are not all centrally located in Detroit, I got lots of them when I worked at Beaumont too.  I like HAP. I think their process is straight-forward. Get a consult by your primary MD, get approval from hap, get a number to see psych doc, wait to get approval, get another number from HAP to make consultation with nurse at Bariatric clinic in Detroit. Because I have HAP-HFH preferred, I have to go downtown which is cool with me. They have a lovely bariatric unit there.

I have to add that I've had very few patients with any type of complication in regards to their bariatric surgery which is a good thing, means the docs are doing exemplary work.

I saw Dr. Frank, she just said that I needed to wait for HAP on the next approval, I hope that's not a bad sign.

I was very leery of HF hospital when I first started this process too.  Only do the fact of where it was located.  The more research I did and found that it is one of the only places you want to be for treatment is HF.  They have the best available everything.  The bariatric unit is wonderful.  Almost better then most birthing suites in the area hospitals.  I have experienced nothing but positives at HF.  Dr G, Dr. C and Wanda and their staff is outstanding.  The pre-op and post-op staff have been great to me.  I would go back in a heart beat. In fact Dr. G just removed my gall bladder last monday at HF.  Surgery was at 8:30am and I was home by 12:30p.  No issues.

Granted I have not head the best about HF ER, but then all ER's have their crazy moments.  Plus HF has many many satellites that can transfer you to HF main and then you bypass the ER. 

As for HAP, I made my calls, worked with my PCP and jumped through the hoops.  I too had to pay $1000 co-pay.  That was it.  HAP-HMO over all has not been bad.  I found a great internist that works with me and what I want.  HAP just changed their referral system, to what I think is much easier.  I have had no problems seeing any dr I want.

As for starting the process with HAP you need to start with your PCP and get the initial referral to Dr. G.  Then after that you will get a call from HAP and they will guide you as to what hoops you need to jump through.

Good Luck.

Could you tell me about some of the hoops?

Everyone has different requirements, because this is a personalized procedure. So I can only speak about my hoops.  I had to document a 12 consecutive month supervised diet.  I only had 6 months at the Beaumont Diet.  So I was initially denied when my PCP put in the referral. I had my PCP submit a dr appeal and I also sent a patient appeal to HAP.  They approved me on my dr appeal.  Dr. G told me half of HAP patients are there on won appeals.  After that, I had to have my psych eval, attend the 4 hour session, meet with Dr. G for clearance and pre-surgery weight loss goal (16 pounds), medical clearance appt, exercise specialist, ekg, chest x-ray, lab work, meet with Dr. G for surgery date, liquid diet, and then finally surgery.  I started this process last July 07 and finally had surgery in Feb 08.  It took time to get in for all the appts. Dr. G I think is currently scheduling surgery now for Feb 09.  They are every strict on the pre-op weight loss goal.  It is worth the weight for these surgeons and this program.  I think anyone you talk to that has gone through this program they will say the same thing.  As for HAP, I have had no problems or additional costs, only the $1000 co-pay.  The bariataric nurses at HAP were very friendly and straight forward.  Just make sure you keep good notes on who you talk to and the referral numbers just in case, cya.  Good luck!