Re: [Deeba123}Contacts

[Guest guest]

Dear Deb,

Have you already submitted your patient information form detailing

your medical problems and diet history to Dr. R? If so, that is what

he uses to write the insurance company for approval. If not, take it

with you to this Sat.'s clinic and give him all the paper work you

have then.

From what I understand (he hadn't started the Sat. clinic requirement

when I saw him - I started with him while he was at Chapel Hill and

saw him in an office setting twice) he makes general remarks and then

sees patients privately to discuss the surgery, their particular

situation and to answer their individual questions.

I'm not sure what to tell you about the insurance question. He sent

's request for approval from BC/BS the same week he got it and we

hadn't even made an appointment for a clinic visit yet. I think he

must go ahead and send those requests as soon as he gets the patient

info. knowing that with some Insurance companies their will be more

lead time needed for approval.

is reading the patient manual (although she had already read it

once before my surgery) and is working on her letter summarizing the

risks Vs. benefits. Her physician and her counselor are writing their

letters this week and I have picked up all her medical records myself.

Next we'll work on the pictures, measurements etc....I guess.

As far as documenting phone contacts, I didn't have a formal list to

go by so I just called the numbers Dr. R gave me (particularly the

ones who had some of the same medical problems or complicating factors

I had) and then verbally told him about my conversations with them.

Since I knew details about them he hadn't told me he knew I had

contacted them. I like your idea of the checkmarks better, maybe with

a few notes in the margin. This isn't a test so he cuts us some slack

on documentation for him.

It sounds like you have everything on track to me. I do have one

suggestion about medical records if you send them yourself: Get a

return receipt mailing at the post office. That way you have a record

of who actually signed for the forms. Then if they lose them, you can

track it. If the hospital or doctor's offices are going to send them,

ask if faxing is possible (that wasn't practical with mine because

they looked like an encyclopedia) or offer to pay for the special

mailing arrangement. I don't know how spread out your various

doctors, hospitals etc are, so I don't know which would work best for

you.

Depending on who your insurance carrier is (Did you say State

Employees BC/BS?) you may or may not have an insurance answer by your

1st clinic appointment. Go ahead and make your second appointment for

clinic and e-mail Dr. R and ask him (or Debbie) to e-mail the date(s)

of submission of insurance forms. Then give your insurance company 2

weeks and call the customer service number and ask the status. Some

others on this list advocate calling to verify receipt of the

packet/approval request from Dr. R. You might want to do both.

We are going ahead with plans for to meet with Dr. R on Sat.,

May 15. Then will try to schedule a second visit for the next week.

I want to get on the surgery schedule ASAP after May 28 (her

last day of school) so we are looking at the first week of June. I'm

going to ask Debbie to pencil her in for that week and then go from

there.

Re: repeat; Contacts

>From: Deeba123@...

>

>Pam, how do you document your other contacts (ie) phone calls. I'm

just

>putting a check by the name of the people I talk to. If I need

better

>documentation, please inform. I have been approved for my first

visit to see

>Dr. R. I am going this Saturday. Yea! What happens after that

visit. Does

>Dr. R. immediately start working on ins. approval? I have my

physical set

>for next week. (a few weeks early--hope ins will pay for it.) I

have my

>psych eval. scheduled for May 18th. Am I on track?

>Also I'd like to add my 2 cents worth on the issue. Everyone

can

>advise as much as they would like. It sounds to me like she is

mature enough

>to make a decision with your guidance. I believe in the power of

prayer.

>Prayerfully consider the options. Then go for it. I'm sure the two

of you

>will make the right decision. I certainly wish I had this

opportunity at 17.

> My mom was supportive. She would not have been as open minded as

you. My

>mom died on Dec. 28, 1998. I only wish I could tell her now that I

am

>finally going to put an end to my battle of the bulge.

>Thanks for listening

>Deb Hertlein

>Greensboro, NC

>BMI 53

>330 pre-op

>Waiting for ins approval

>

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