I didn't think that I was going to be approved by UHC because I don't have comorbidity to speak of (well, more now than then) and my BMI wasn't that high. In fact, I had given up on getting this procedure at all. But, come to find out they did "approve".
I have UHC through my husband's employer, who is self-insured with UHC as a benefits administrator only. They only enforce the contract that they have with the employer, we use their network doctors, etc.
My family really cannot afford this surgery without insurance right now, so I called UHC myself even after the doctor's office called me to let me know I was approved and to schedule (we didn't get an "approval" letter from insurance, just an advisory to contact them ASAP if I end up going inpatient). UHC said that since the doctor and facility are within network, and it is an outpatient procedure, that there is no approval even required from them. This really blew me away!
I do think that a lot of the restrictions are with the employer and what they are willing to pay for. If the company is self-insured then UHC just pushes the paperwork and money for the company but it isn't out of their pocket. Please let me know if am not understanding correctly on that, but that is how it was explained to me by the benefits people.
I have heard in a few different places that UHC is the best to work with, so I hope that anyone having problems will be able to get them ironed out quickly.
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