Comments on: Holding pattern http://www.obesity-surgery.bseulf.org/2006/02/28/holding-pattern/ Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:23:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Jamey Lancaster http://www.obesity-surgery.bseulf.org/2006/02/28/holding-pattern/#comment-3200 Jamey Lancaster Tue, 28 Feb 2006 23:02:17 +0000 http://www.obesity-surgery.bseulf.org/2006/02/28/holding-pattern/#comment-3200 Holding pattern. I guess that is term that I would use to describe my current situation. I started out the quest for surgery many months ago by reading books, finding websites, and basically coming to the conclusion that surgery was the only remaining hope for me to lose weight and keep it off. I am with Aetna UShealthcare, which it seems is not a favorite amongst physicians. But, I found a surgeon who came highly recommended and I set up the initial consultation. I was told that I "might be the last patient that we will accept from Aetna." So, I went through all the hoops necessary, consisting of about 9 or so different tests, (and co-payments), so as to qualify for Aetna and Dr. Barry S. Greene, before I could even get a date set. Approval was pretty much a foregone conclusion, as I weighed in digitally at 441. Pretty incredible for someone who used to think that I <!--more--> was fat at 190! Anyway, got all the tests done, found out I was healthy enough to undergo the surgery, got my PCP to write a recommendation and history, and then found out that my chosen surgeon had chosen to drop Aetna from their list of acceptable insurance companies. So, I was back to square one, and had to start over finding a surgeon. I found one in Virginia, which is where I work, and he also came very highly praised and recommended via obesityhelp.com (thanks to someone's suggestion on this list). Dr. Osvaldo Anez and I met, and he is now scheduling people for October surgery. However, I told him that I would be willing to fill in on a stand-by basis, which could mean 24-hour notice before my surgery. So, once I get the official nod from Aetna, I will be waiting for the call to come. For those of you out there who are believers, please pray that it happens quickly. It turns out that many of those tests and results are only valid for three months, and some for only a month. I don't relish going through the whole battery of tests and CO-PAYMENTS again. It is good to have this list and the people of common experiences to whom we can go and have someone who truly understands and empathizes. Thanks for listening and for taking the time to forage through this long e-mail. It sometimes helps just to put it in writing. Danny Holding pattern. I guess that is term that I would use to describe my
current situation. I started out the quest for surgery many months ago by
reading books, finding websites, and basically coming to the conclusion
that
surgery was the only remaining hope for me to lose weight and keep it off.
I am with Aetna UShealthcare, which it seems is not a favorite amongst
physicians. But, I found a surgeon who came highly recommended and I set
up
the initial consultation. I was told that I "might be the last patient
that
we will accept from Aetna." So, I went through all the hoops necessary,
consisting of about 9 or so different tests, (and co-payments), so as to
qualify for Aetna and Dr. Barry S. Greene, before I could even get a date
set. Approval was pretty much a foregone conclusion, as I weighed in
digitally at 441. Pretty incredible for someone who used to think that I

was fat at 190! Anyway, got all the tests done, found out I was healthy
enough to undergo the surgery, got my PCP to write a recommendation and
history, and then found out that my chosen surgeon had chosen to drop
Aetna
from their list of acceptable insurance companies. So, I was back to
square one, and had to start over finding a surgeon.

I found one in Virginia, which is where I work, and he also came very
highly praised and recommended via obesityhelp.com (thanks to someone’s
suggestion on this list). Dr. Osvaldo Anez and I met, and he is now
scheduling people for October surgery. However, I told him that I would
be
willing to fill in on a stand-by basis, which could mean 24-hour notice
before my surgery. So, once I get the official nod from Aetna, I will be
waiting for the call to come. For those of you out there who are
believers,
please pray that it happens quickly. It turns out that many of those
tests
and results are only valid for three months, and some for only a month.
I
don’t relish going through the whole battery of tests and CO-PAYMENTS
again.

It is good to have this list and the people of common experiences to whom
we
can go and have someone who truly understands and empathizes. Thanks for
listening and for taking the time to forage through this long e-mail. It
sometimes helps just to put it in writing.

Danny

]]>