Alabama bandster

janie3867 · 06-09-2007, 10:56 PM

I am also going through the 6 month "waiting period" through BCBS of AL. Thing is, you have to have 6 consecutive months of documented, physician weight control program in the last year before approval. I was discouraged at first, but plan on taking this time to "adjust" my body and mind in preparation for the lap band.

Good news is that they now pay for it - they just approved it in my policy in APRIL! Woo hoo !!

I have an appointment with Dr. Schmidt on July 11 - but I call each week to see if there are any cancellations. This won't rush my surgery due to Blue Cross's rules, but I can't wait to learn all I can about it.

MkUSmile78 · 06-09-2007, 11:34 PM

Hey Janie!
Dr. Schmitt is doing my surgery! The first appt they really don't do much, mostly just tell you all of the "hoops" you will have to jump through, if you have to go to the psych, cardio, sleep Dr., blood work, etc. You can go ahead and request your medical records from all of your other Dr's so you can give them to Neoami, who handles all of the insurance & surgery appts for both Dr Schmitt and Miles. She is really nice.

If you haven't gone to a lap band support group meeting they are GREAT!!! The next one is Saturday June 16 at 10:30 AM, in the Medical Center East conference room. ***You have to go to at least one support group meeting and get a certificate from the meeting before they will schedule your surgery*** Veronica, Jill and Tim are the main folks that host the meetings. Veronica is one of the nurses and also teaches part of the nutrition class you will have to go to. http://banders4life.com Check out their web page if you have a few minutes!

Dr. Schmitt does not require the two week pre-op diet like alot of people on here talk about. From midnight tonight *Sunday Morning* until midnight tomorrow night I can only have clear liquids and have to do the oh so much fun fleet soda bowel clensing thing tomorrow afternoon/evening. After midnight tomorrow night I can't have anything at all to eat or drink. I have to be at MCE at 6:15 Monday morning for my labs because they didn't get done Friday at my pre-op appt. I am his 2nd surgery on Monday morning *I am not sure what time it will be*

If you have any questions feel free to ask!

Quote:

Originally Posted by janie3867

I am also going through the 6 month "waiting period" through BCBS of AL. Thing is, you have to have 6 consecutive months of documented, physician weight control program in the last year before approval. I was discouraged at first, but plan on taking this time to "adjust" my body and mind in preparation for the lap band.

Quote:

Originally Posted by janie3867

Good news is that they now pay for it - they just approved it in my policy in APRIL! Woo hoo !!

I have an appointment with Dr. Schmidt on July 11 - but I call each week to see if there are any cancellations. This won't rush my surgery due to Blue Cross's rules, but I can't wait to learn all I can about it.

janie3867 · 06-10-2007, 10:20 AM

I have BCBS of Alabama and I'm the benifits administrator at my company and in our policy, it clearly stated "Weight loss surgery is not covered by this policy". I was planning on self pay, but I called "just in case". I found out that the policy changed in APRIL of 2007. Good thing is, they pay now!! Bad thing and not SO bad, you have to have a physician monitored, documented 6 month weight loss program in the last year before they will approve. It has to be consecutive - can't go back here and there. It was a "detour" not a block for me. I thought about just paying myself and not waiting but that wouldn't be the best way to do it - since I can use this 6 months to prepare my body and mind for the new "TOOL" that I'll have.

Hope this helps anyone with questions....just CALL and check to see if there are any changes in your medical coverage. I was SHOCKED to hear that my policy had changed since they were SO against paying for it.

crabcake · 06-10-2007, 12:18 PM

Season, best of luck tomorrow! We'll be thinking about you.

MkUSmile78 · 06-10-2007, 04:59 PM

Thank you so much!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by crabcake

Season, best of luck tomorrow! We'll be thinking about you.

sadgirlk · 06-10-2007, 07:36 PM

I Am Having My Surgery In Mexico On June19, 2007 And Would Like To Find A Fill Doc

hndyman · 06-21-2007, 09:35 AM

Hi All,

Has anyone here used Trinity Hospital and Dr Pennington? I am scheduled for a consultation on July 26. I am just trying to do my homework.

Keith

princessfrogee · 07-06-2007, 02:06 PM

My family is looking to move to the Georgia/Alabama area soon. My husband will be a civillian working at Ft. Benning. We know his insurance will be BCBS. I am hoping it will be the federal so it may make it easier to get the surgery. I have read your posts and am surprised at how many different doctors are doing this surgery in Alabama, but most seem to be fairly new at this. The names most mentioned seem to be Dr. Miles and Dr. Schmitt. Do they have a direct website to look in to?

crabcake · 07-06-2007, 02:33 PM

They do. It's Obesity Surgery, Weight Loss Surgery, Gastric Bypass, Lap Band Surgery Birmingham Alabama .

Barbara13 · 07-13-2007, 09:04 AM

Tami, I saw you in May at the MCE support meeting. I was banded on June 12, 2007. Life is getting better. Ive lost over 20lbs. I go July 26th for my first fill.
Hope to see you on July 21st at the support meeting.
Barbara

TamifromAL · 07-13-2007, 11:16 AM

Hi Barbara! Congrats on your surgery. You're off to a wonderful start with a 20 lb. loss! Unfortunately, I'm going to have to miss the support group meeting this month. We'll be at the beach, soaking up the sun and sippin' margheritas (not too many, though!) Good luck with your first fill, but don't be surprised if it takes you 2-3 fills to get good restriction.

Keep up the good work!

Tami

Lottie · 07-17-2007, 10:07 PM

Hi Hndy,
I think you will like Dr. Pennington. You and I were suppose to attend this seminar together but they had a cancellation and I was able to go attend June 28th. Dr. Pennington was very informative. I really like him.
I think you will too. I asked several questions and he answered them in a way I understood. The staff was with him and they were very nice also. You will get to know Margaret more because she will be handling all your insurance claims or self pay. NOt sure which you are doing but once you attend the seminar you will be ready to make your decision.
I wish you much success.

hndyman · 07-18-2007, 07:11 AM

Hi Lottie,
Good for you! I think I will like them. I have had a lot of dealings with the hospital there and never had any trouble.
What do they require as far as pre diet, and do you need to have been on a doc supervised weight loss plan, things like that? If you want here is my email thehndyman@yahoo.com feel free to use it anytime.

Thanks, Keith

MkUSmile78 · 07-20-2007, 02:35 PM

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I haven't been on this thread in a while so I wanted to say Hello to everyone, I hope everyone is doing great!

So far I have gone from 312lbs to 279lbs, so I have lost 33lbs in 5 1/2 weeks!!! YEAH!!! My first fill is scheduled for Monday, July 23, at 2:00 PM. I am ready to see how this works!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

crabcake · 07-20-2007, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MkUSmile78

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I haven't been on this thread in a while so I wanted to say Hello to everyone, I hope everyone is doing great!

So far I have gone from 312lbs to 279lbs, so I have lost 33lbs in 5 1/2 weeks!!! YEAH!!! My first fill is scheduled for Monday, July 23, at 2:00 PM. I am ready to see how this works!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

That's wonderful! Congratulations!