Advice Needed!

I am new to this site, and truly feel as though I was lead here by God. I have enjoyed reading the posts, and advice on this site... so I thought I would just jump in. I am in the "waiting process" of my adventure. How tenacious were you guys in contacting the doctor? I know they have their work to do, and that I am not the only patient there is, but I am so anxious to get this rolling!! It's torture waiting.... how do you handle it? What is the next step after you get your paperwork in? I know I need to be patient, but that really isn't one of my strong suits! How long is long enough before you call? I am going to Baptist Hospital in Nashville... and hope to have Dr. McDowell doing my surgery... (that's my prayer) :angel: I just need help with the waiting... I know the things happen on God's time, and that there are reasons for everything, but its hard. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for any help that you might give.

I had my surgery through Centennial and my financial counselor was awesome. The paperwork suggested calling my insurance company after one week but I was so lucky because my papers were turned in one afternoon and the approval came in the next morning. I had made sure to cross all my t's and dot my i's and I had got letters from all of my doctors treating me and I had also gathered all my records from the last five years from not just my PCP but from all of the docs I had been to and every hospital visit. As for my PCP, I turned in the request and waited two days before calling them. They were great and had already turned in the records. The biggest wait for me was my nutritionist...she "lost" my record but I called every day, twice a day, for two days and they magically appeared. After you get all your paperwork in to your surgeons office, I would call in a couple of days and ask if it has been sent to your insurance company yet. They get busy and sometimes it can sit on a desk for a few days unless you ask about it specifically. They will not mind you calling and asking...they know how anxious we get! Good luck with everything and keep us posted!

If they have submitted your paperwork to the insurance, I would give it a week and then start calling the insurance company. I am glad I called because they "never received" the first set of papers. My surgeon's office (Metabolic Surgery Center) faxed over another set that same day. Dawn and Mae at Dr. McDowell's office won't mind you calling to check the process. They know how anxious we get while waiting. Keep us posted! Susan

I might be doing it the wrong way... all I submitted was the patient packet, and insurance information. Was I supposed to have my letters and stuff along with that paperwork? If so, I have messed up! aaaaaaaaaaaahhhh :-S I watched the Emmi/online seminar, and thought that after they contact my insurance company to see if they will pay for it, that was when I got my doctor to write her letter. Help!!!! thank you for your support! :-)

Well Susan, as it turns out... the very same thing happened to me today! I called the insurance company, and no records had been turned in for me. I called MSC, and was told that they would call me back in an hour - well my insurance co. turned me down! And I panicked, called our HR person, she got on the phone, and called the insurance co. for us. Within a few minutes she was faxing me the "criteria for gastric bypass surgery" from the insurance co.!!!!!!! I immediately faxed them to my wonderful PCP and she is going to write them on my behalf. So needless to say I have to learn to be patient... cause this could take a while! As I said before, I really am not good at waiting. But I know that God has a reason for everything,and I am just going to take it as a sign that its not my time yet. Fill me in on your story, and what your wait time was like, and then how long until your surgery. How did you do your psych evaluation? Did you schedule it yourself, or go through MSC? Thank you for taking the time to answer me before... and I pray that the Lord blesses you today.