Toni S.
Hi my name is Toni and I live in Osceola, IN. Starting weight 275 lbs.
Primary insurance Blue Cross through the IN State Police. Does not cover bariatric surgery.
Secondary insurance through Tri-Care North, does cover. Yea!!!!!
6/28/2007 Educational Seminar-Free
7/10/2007 PCP Approval Letter Drawn Up
7/16/2007 Consultation with Bariatric Center-Free
7/19/2007 First Bari-Buddy meeting-Free
I'm ready and raring to go!
7/25/2007 Consultation with Dietician-Cancelled after I arrived. I was the first appointment of the morning. The Dietician had been in the emergency room the night before. So I've been rescheduled for the same time next week.
Consultation with Exercise Physiologist-Very informative. I'm so grateful to have been shown exercises, that not only are realistic for me, but fairly easy and can be done anyplace I am in 10 minute intervals 3 times per day. I think this is an exercise program that I can actually stick with!- Insurance does not cover. $64 out of pocket
Consultation with Psychologist- Appt. was at 1pm, but some how the Psychologist scheduled it for 7pm. So arrived twice today and finally met with her at 7 pm. I really liked her. She was very interesting. She'd like to meet with me in 6 weeks, right before the surgery. Since I have not met $200 deductible for mental health per year, insurance will not cover this visit. It will be out of pocket.
Consultation with Surgeon- This gentleman was equally impressive. I asked him why he chose this line of surgery. His answer was really awesome. Before that, he told me he had two hard questions for me. 1) How do I think that this surgery is going to help me. Another words, what will it do that exercise and proper diet for a life time won't do? 2) 20% of patients don't lose or maintain the weight. Why do I think that is?
Whew! I'm exhausted. :)
Next step is to schedule a PAP, a necessity before they will perform surgery. Two weeks of exercise and food journals to turn in from the point of my re-scheduled appt. with Dietician. Then all of the above professionals get together and decide if I'm a good canidate. Then and only then they will send off to the insurance company for approval. In my case, I think the wait will be a little longer, because I know that it's an occlusion with my primary insurance, yet it's an inclusion with secondary insurance.
At this point they will schedule any pre-op tests they want me to have. After those results the surgery date is set. 2 weeks before surgery, you bring in someone who lives with you to sign a form saying that you understand the risks of the procedure and what you need to do to protect this precious tool and get the most out of it.
8/1/2007 Meeting with Dietician. Insurance does not cover. Out of pocket cost $68. This lady was really up beat and after all of the years of dieting and reading about diets, she broke it down and made it nice and simple for me. I simply could not be more impressed with the entire staff at Memorial Weight Loss and Bariatrics Center.
8/15/2007 Turn in weight loss journals for the past two weeks to the Dietician. $68 out of pocket. This is not a liquid diet. That does not start until about 2 weeks before surgery.
8/16/2007 Bariatric Buddies Meeting-Free Always!
8/21/2007 You can run but you can't hide. Time for the PAP. It's a requirement to get approved for the surgery. You must have that and a current mammogram. Thank goodness I do have the other. That insurance will pay all. Because in my case I have double insurance.
I'm trying to put down all of the out of pocket expenses to help give anyone reading this an idea of what their out of pocket expenses might be.
