Kelley

Glad to see all of the people from alabama on here. Tami form AL I would like to know about support group. I was banded in Anniston there is not a support group. You have done so great.

alaverde

I am so aggravated right now! I just found out that BCBS of Alabama has taken Lap Band off the investigational list. This means they will now pay for it. I spoke to one of the representatives from BCBS on the phone and they confirmed this. It was removed 10 days after my surgery was performed. It will pay for any lap band done after 4/10/07. Mine was 3/29/07. That really stinks!

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Surgery - 3/29/07

Kelley

IIm sorry I have not been on in a long time. I live in Oxford outside of Anniston please email at KKKennedy13@yahoo.com

FairyFacade

Kelley- I had my Lap Band done by Dr. Freeman in Anniston. Who did yours?

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crabcake

Yeah, that does stink! I just called them and they confirmed the 4/10 date. However, the patient still has to meet the requisite qualifications which might take another 6 months...I'm not willing to wait that long, so I'm sticking w/ the self pay! I hate to have to do it, but otherwise it might be October before I could have the surgery! :faint:

Did you put something on the general board?

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Banded May 8, 2007

Kelley

Laura I had my surgery 11-2-07 my surgeon was Dr. Black.

MkUSmile78

:wave: Hey Everyone!!! My name is Season, I am from Birmingham, AL.
I had my first appt. with Dr. Schmitt at Medical Center East last week. All went well, my papers were submitted to BCBS (FEDERAL) and hopefully they will approve it.
:banplease:

I will be at the support group on May 19th, it looks like I will see some of you there, I look forward to meeting you!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...gger-email.jpg

This is me, if you see me please say hello!

TamifromAL

Hi Season! I'll see you at the support group meeting!

Tami

__________________
9/5/06 Got the band, 273 lbs., size 26W
6/5/07 Reached initial goal of 165 (-108 lbs.) in 9 months
Currently 152 lbs. (-120 lbs), size 8
5'7", happy, healthy, fit & fabulous at 48!

TamifromAL

I posted this as a separate "Alabama forum" thread, but then happened to think that it might reach more people if I post to this thread, where a few people are already subscribed. So, please excuse the double post.

---------------------

I just wanted to let ya'll know about a change in the schedule for the lap band support group meeting this Saturday at Medical Center East in Birmingham.

The meeting will be:
Saturday May 19, 2007, 10:30 am, Medical Center East, BLDG 50 Classrooms 1-4.

PLEASE note the changes above. The time has been moved back to 10:30 am instead of 11:00 and the class has been moved back to the same rooms where you attended the seminar.

I have the pleasure of addressing the group this week, to tell my story and "tips for working the band". Hope you can come! (Although this group is primarily made up of patients of Dr. Miles & Schmitt, others are welcome, too.)

FYI: The web site for this group is banders4life.com

Tami

__________________
9/5/06 Got the band, 273 lbs., size 26W
6/5/07 Reached initial goal of 165 (-108 lbs.) in 9 months
Currently 152 lbs. (-120 lbs), size 8
5'7", happy, healthy, fit & fabulous at 48!

K-Kat

Hi Crabcake,
When you spoke with BCBS what did they tell you about the requisites? Newbie here...hi everyone!

crabcake

I'm sorry, I don't remember the details. I just remember it was going to require me to wait possibly 6 months more and I didn't want to do that.

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Banded May 8, 2007

K-Kat

Hi Tami,
I just wanted to say "Hi," and tell you that I'm from Pelham too! I've been researching lap band surgery for the past three years and I am in the process of trying to qualify for it. I've just learned BCBS is now paying for the surgery (I'm awaiting paperwork from them to see what hoops have to be jumped through). I would really like to self-pay because I already have enough to pay for half of the cost of the surgery, but my husband and I are both teachers in Alabama (need I say more! haha!), so the thought of insurance helping pay is so tempting, however I'm sure that there is a waiting period similar to gastric bypass as Crabcake mentioned.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I've been reading the forum for several months and I wanted to congratulate you on your weight loss--it's AMAZING and you're an inspiration to me.

Keep up the great work! (:

K-Kat

Tami,
For some reason I got your screen name confused with pelhamlisa hence the pelham reference in my last reply! Sorry about that!! (:

K-Kat

Hi MkU,
Do you know if your BCBS is making you do the 7 month dr. supervised diet? I have BCBS PEEHIP (teacher) and I just learned that BCBS will pay for lap band but I don't know what the requirements are. Just wondering if you have any info. (:

MkUSmile78

Hey K-Kat,

I am BCBS Federal, not BCBS of AL. Federal doesn't make you jump through as many hoops as AL does. My papers were submitted last week so I figure it will be a few weeks before I hear anything from them but Neaomi at Dr. Schmitt's office told me that they usually approve it pretty easily.

I actually had already done the 6-months of Dr. supervised weight loss (more like 3 years) so even if they made me do that I had already done it before I went to Dr. Schmitt. I have had a weight problem as long as I can remember, my mother had me in a child nutrition class when I was like 8 years old. I had just gotten used to the fact that I was going to be big all of my life but when I had my son my body just completely changed and I am heavier than I was when I was 9 months pregnant and no matter what I do I just can't get the weight off. That is what made me decide to try Lap Band. Hopefully I will get approved.

Are you going to the group tomorrow at Medical Center East? It is at 10:30 AM and anyone is welcome.