Waiting for your insurance to kick in so you can have op-thoughts/feelings share here

Hi a suggestion was made to have a section to chat about the wait and how your feeling/coping etc
enjoy!

shelly

Hi Everyone.
I met with the surgeon, who I hope will be performing my gastric sleeve surgery. I have United Health Care Insurance. They do pay 100% but I have to meet all their requirements. I have a appointment for a sleep test, July 9th. Then one week later, I have an appointment with the Mental Health Dr. I signed paper work for the surgeons office to get my medical records from my primary care physician. I was told I may have to do a special diet, per UHC's requirements. So waiting to see about all of that.
Does anyone here have UHC? What was your experience with them?
I can not tell you how excited I am about having the WLS. I have wanted it for a long time. The past year it is all I can think about. I finally decided to see if insurance would cover it. Then I talked with my husband about it. He said, "HONEY, I have loved you for over 40 years. You have been my wife for 39, and I love you just the way you are. I want you to do what will make you happy". So, I was thrilled.
I would appreciate any sites you feel I should check out.
I would appreciate any tips you have.
I know I may be months from surgery, but I just am so excited to find out all I can, and I can not wait.
Barbee :)

I'm new hear - I was super excited to come across this site and to be able to hear stories from so many other people who have travelled this journey. I went to my appointment today at Joondalup (WA) after attending my assessment appointment 5 weeks ago for lap-banding under medicare. I had initially chosen Joondalup as the wait list for SCGH was about 5 years - Joondalup 1 - 2 years. So I went to my appointment only to have the surgeon tell me that I would have to go back to my GP and ask them to put me in some 12 month health and fitness program that was brought in by the government in order to be eligible for lap-banding. I wish someone had told me this 5 weeks ago but apparently it was only brought in a few weeks ago So, to set everyone straight, our fantastic government has decided, as though obese people haven't already tried every thing under the sun, to drag the wait out for 12 months before even being able to go on the wait list. And on top of that, Joondalup have now amalgamated with SCGH meaning the wait is even longer! *sigh* I can't wait for this long, I'm already 35 years old, single, and have been overweight since I was 8 years old (I'm sure there are many who have had this life long battle). I bit the bullet today and took out private health insurance and the surgeon told me to come back to him in 9 months so I can be booked in at the 12 month mark - I have decided to get gastric sleeving. I told the surgeon he can also take my taste buds (anything to get some kind of life back). Just a note, after phoning around all the different private health providers (most were around the $50 per fortnight mark), I found out HBF is only around the $25 mark for gastric surgery! That is of course, if it is purely for gastric surgery and you don't need it for joint replacements, heart surgery, or obstetrics (I would have required these but the gastric surgery should rule some of it out). I wish I had taken private health insurance out a year ago!

Hi just found this topic-waiting for insurance to kick in, and I'm waiting for my PHI to kick in [Jan 14] and wondering how others are coping with the wait.
I saw the surgeon last week and now am sure I want to do this so my whole mindset is in readjustment mode.
For most of my 50 years I've been food or diet obsessed and I'm so tired of it.
I'm not sure how to eat at the moment, I'm feeling nervous and excited about finally making the decision and eating so much more which I really don't need, so I'm hoping after this easter binge I can settle down and find some peace and stability in this waiting time.

Hi there, just wondering if anyone else is as distressed as me!! I have had my band on for 2.5 years and lost 20kg. I have been over the moon with my band and not had any problems at all...... Until November last year when I suddenly (and for the first time) started throwing up. 1ml was removed from my band & I had instant relief. Unfortunately since then I have been losing fluid. On Tue I was told I have no fluid in my band at all. I had the dye & X-ray which showed that my port is leaking. I now need surgery to replace the port. I kept my PHI for 18 mths after surgery & then cancelled it due to financial issues. Apparently I am now responsible for financing to replace a faulty port! Are there no guarantees with lapband surgery? I have to now pay another $3,000 for the repair in a private hospital or join my fund again & wait 12 mths! I have now put 5 kgs back on since port started leaking. Why isn't the doctor responsible for the port being faulty? I have already paid $6,000 for original operation & am now expected to pay another $3,000 to fix it?? Am I wrong in this? Or has anyone else had this problem?? CAZ

shelly25 wrote:

Hi a suggestion was made to have a section to chat about the wait and how your feeling/coping etc
enjoy!

shelly

Hi, the wait is horrendous ... I wish I had known that this option was available to me years ago.
There is not enough education about the options available to people who are struggling and losing the weightloss battle and the various medical issues because of the problem.
If I could have the surgery tomorrow, I would.
Meanwhile, I wait.

Hi Vix
How long do you need to wait? My wait was over in Feb. It was long, difficult and I put on a few too many kilos on the way. I read so much and learnt so much which was a real positive. 
I was so relieved when it finally happened.
Good luck on your journey and the time really will pass.

So I took out top hospital and extras cover with Medibank Private on 17th September last year.  Not deliberately to wait for this sleeve surgery but because I had to fund nasal surgery back then and had already funded 3 other major surgeries (knees/shoulder) over the last 10 years so decided that I couldn't let this happen again in the future and I am planning to keep the cover forever now! I could have owned a house by now if I hadn't spent so much on surgeries! LOL

Now I want to have the sleeve surgery but am wondering if it is a bit too cheeky to be getting it in the September school holidays when I will only JUST have qualified for my 12 months - It doesn't seem like a good look to me.  My 12 months will be the 17th and the school holidays start on the 19th and I kind of want as long of the holidays for recover before returning to work.

I haven't called Medibank Private because I feel too guilt seeming to be preying on them for my 12 months to be up, but as far as I know from my research I am covered on the top hospital and extras for this surgery.

Is it too soon after the qualifying date to have my sleeve? Should I wait for the Christmas school holidays instead? I just feel guilty.