:pHey fellow Kentuckians, :D Who is your doctor and what insurance do you have etc.?

I have been to a seminar at St Mary's with Doctor Schuster. He seemed real nice. The nurses where very nice too. I have already sent in my paper work as well as all my medical records. What do I expect next? When will I be able to have a doctor appointment?

I have Humana Preferred and am unsure of how easy it is for them to approve.

I hope someone else om here has that insurance.

:)

I am so excited, I have my first appoinment schedules and I have Dr. Lusco!

My surgery date is 8/15 with Dr. Lusco. The staff are so easy to work with, which I love. Insurance approval was pretty quick, I have Anthem PPO. Good luck.

I have humana, and have to get 6 months of supervised dieting. I am pleased to say that my last visit is wednesday, then I just have the dietiican's visit and the psychologist. I think then it's just a waiting game for insurance approval. Lana said that she thinks I can expect a surgery date of Sept/Oct. it seems like it has taken soooo long.

As an aside, I had a surgery with Dr. Shuster today. He removed a small cyst for me, and I really liked him. I am so looking forward to my banding.

I live in Paducah and have Anthem BC/BS PPO and they wouldn't pay a dime. So, I went to Monterrey Mexico and had the surgeon who had done 7000 of these to do mine and just paid cash. I use Dr. Curry in Cinci for my fills.

Where did you go to get your 6 month supervised diet?

PLaymate, I am going to my family doctor for that. He has to chart every calendar month that we have discussed my diet...apparently I've had the "last meal" syndrome....I've not lost. Then again, I've not gained, and many people do. according to my doctor. He was influential in my decision....I trust him, and he siad that if I were his sister or wife, he would encourage me to be banded. He never mentions my weight, so I appreciated his honesty when I asked about it.

When doctors tell me I am overweight, I always want to search the room, as if he is talking to someone else, and say "Me? Are you kidding?"
They act like you never realised you were fat...like shopping at Lane Bryant wasn't a clue...:omg::heh:

Dr. Rodriguez @Norton hospital. He was great

kygal you are so funny:D

I didn't have to have any preop diet.

I will be banded August 27 by Dr. Jeffrey Allen @ Norton's in Louisville.

Kathy, do you have to pay anything up front? Do you like Dr. Allen? I wonder if I should look around more since I have to pay $4000 up front and then my insurance will pay me a percentage back because my doctor is not a humana ppo doctor out of network.

Hi Wanda! I've only met Dr. Allen once, but I like him just fine. He's got a great reputation. So far I've paid $100 @ my initial consult @ Norton's. That included the psych consult, nutritionist and nurse consult. Then I paid $250 when I went to my appt to meet with Dr. Allen. That will cover any other appts that I have with him, including the pre-op appt on Aug. 16 for bloodwork, etc, and any post-op appts. I have United Healthcare, and was approved within 1 week. I had wanted the group @ St. Mary's to do my surgery, but they are out of network for me also. The Norton Bariatric Center is also a Center of Excellence, so I chose them. I strongly suggest shopping around for someone in network for you.

I decided to go to another doctor because Dr. Lusco is not in Humanas network and I was going to have to pay $4000 upfront. I am going to Doctor Gellar at Suburban, so far I am very very impressed with him, I have emailed him twice and he answered all my questions in a very timely manner, that makes me feel good like he will be there for me and not think of me as just another surgery. I will meet him next week because I have to go to his seminar. Has anyone here had him? can you tell me anything about him?

No, I am using Dr. Olsafka, even though I have to pay the 4000 up front, becasue I did not know this until I was halfway through the certification process, and I liked him when I met him. I work with 2 people who have used geller, and they both are very very happy with the procedure, and have returned to work quickly.