Michigan Duodenal Switch Operations in Jeopardy, Help needed.

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone in BPD/DS land, pre-op and post-op.

Some of you may know who I am, a lot of you probably have no clue.

I had Open BPD/DS on August 11, 2000. My surgeon was Dr. Hares.

Michigan is witnessing the possible demise of this surgery and I need

your help and fast.

Hospitals in Michigan are threatening to close their doors to this

surgery. Two hospitals have given December 31, 2000 as the final

dates. The hospital in Grand Rapids is also threatening shutting

down this surgery. That will leave no where in this state where

these qualified surgeons (four surgeons) can perform this life saving

procedure.

They give different reasons for this decision based upon whom you

ask, the day of the week and the version. We've been told it isn't

profitable. Yet we see cases where they haven't billed or billed

incorrectly.

I have posted an online petition that is directed to North Oakland

Medical Centers, where I had the surgery. I know that St. ph's

Mercy in Pontiac is going to do the same on 12-31-00. I'm also

trying to organize an informational picket at North Oakland Medical

Center in Pontiac to help bring attention to this matter.

We need to become squeaky wheels and make lots of noise. We need to

be heard!

This is life saving surgery.

Please take a moment and sign this online petition and help me save

this surgery in Michigan!

http://www.petitiononline.com/msbehavn/petition.html

Thank you for your time.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm sorry to hear this news although I can't say that I am

suprised. BCBS of Michigan probably has their evil claws in this

helping it happen. (Yes ya'll...I know that just because they have

been hateful, uncaring scumsuckers to me that I can't blame them for

everything but I do not doubt for a minute that they could possibly

be involved in this.) They certainly are doing everything they can

to prevent me getting the surgery and since they don't consider it a

covered procedure hospitals won't be getting a dime out of them for

this surgery.

I think it is sad that so many states, insurance companies,

hospitals, surgeons and patients have found the DS to be a positive

thing yet so many others continue to slam it and deny access to it.

It is a sad fact that most hospitals base their decisions on how much

profit they can make instead of the humanity in saving someone's life

with this surgery. I'm wishing you luck in your efforts.

Sheila

> Hello everyone in BPD/DS land, pre-op and post-op.

>

> Some of you may know who I am, a lot of you probably have no clue.

>

> I had Open BPD/DS on August 11, 2000. My surgeon was Dr. Hares.

>

> Michigan is witnessing the possible demise of this surgery and I

need

> your help and fast.

>

> Hospitals in Michigan are threatening to close their doors to this

> surgery. Two hospitals have given December 31, 2000 as the final

> dates. The hospital in Grand Rapids is also threatening shutting

> down this surgery. That will leave no where in this state where

> these qualified surgeons (four surgeons) can perform this life

saving

> procedure.

>

> They give different reasons for this decision based upon whom you

> ask, the day of the week and the version. We've been told it isn't

> profitable. Yet we see cases where they haven't billed or billed

> incorrectly.

>

> I have posted an online petition that is directed to North Oakland

> Medical Centers, where I had the surgery. I know that St. ph's

> Mercy in Pontiac is going to do the same on 12-31-00. I'm also

> trying to organize an informational picket at North Oakland Medical

> Center in Pontiac to help bring attention to this matter.

>

> We need to become squeaky wheels and make lots of noise. We need

to

> be heard!

>

> This is life saving surgery.

>

> Please take a moment and sign this online petition and help me save

> this surgery in Michigan!

>

> http://www.petitiononline.com/msbehavn/petition.html

>

> Thank you for your time.

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Please take a moment and sign this online petition and help me save

> this surgery in Michigan!

>

> http://www.petitiononline.com/msbehavn/petition.html

>

OK guys-

I signed the petition and I am the only signature there! I hope you will

take the time to do this!

Warm Regards,

Melbourne, Australia

LG/DS 7-19-00

Dr Welker, Portland, Oregon

Self-pay

[Guest guest]

I am happy to have signed this and hope folks will keep us apprised.

Walter Lindstrom, Esquire

Obesity Law & Advocacy Center

www.obesitylaw.com

2939 Alta View Drive - Suite O-360

San Diego, CA 92139

Tel:

Fax:

Michigan Duodenal Switch Operations in Jeopardy,

Help needed.

> Hello everyone in BPD/DS land, pre-op and post-op.

>

> Some of you may know who I am, a lot of you probably have no clue.

>

> I had Open BPD/DS on August 11, 2000. My surgeon was Dr. Hares.

>

> Michigan is witnessing the possible demise of this surgery and I need

> your help and fast.

>

> Hospitals in Michigan are threatening to close their doors to this

> surgery. Two hospitals have given December 31, 2000 as the final

> dates. The hospital in Grand Rapids is also threatening shutting

> down this surgery. That will leave no where in this state where

> these qualified surgeons (four surgeons) can perform this life saving

> procedure.

>

> They give different reasons for this decision based upon whom you

> ask, the day of the week and the version. We've been told it isn't

> profitable. Yet we see cases where they haven't billed or billed

> incorrectly.

>

> I have posted an online petition that is directed to North Oakland

> Medical Centers, where I had the surgery. I know that St. ph's

> Mercy in Pontiac is going to do the same on 12-31-00. I'm also

> trying to organize an informational picket at North Oakland Medical

> Center in Pontiac to help bring attention to this matter.

>

> We need to become squeaky wheels and make lots of noise. We need to

> be heard!

>

> This is life saving surgery.

>

> Please take a moment and sign this online petition and help me save

> this surgery in Michigan!

>

> http://www.petitiononline.com/msbehavn/petition.html

>

> Thank you for your time.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi :

I've signed the petition, and thanks for taking the time to do this. Most

of the signers are from out of state, though, so I don't know what good that

will do. Lets them know someone is watching, I guess.

Do you mean they're not going to do DS but will continue to do other wls,

RNY, etc?

I may not know what I'm talking about now, but here goes. Maybe the issue

isn't the operation but the fact that it is being done more often lap. If

the hospitals say it isn't 'cost- effective' for them to provide a place for

the operation, doesn't that mean they provide the operating room, but that

patients are not in the hospital long enough for them to make a profit? Or

that most of the recoveries are short and uneventful, hence no profit for

the hospital?

Why not examine other procedures that the hospitals have excluded to see if

it is no longer possible to obtain that surgery in your area. If the answer

is 'yes' then you are right, but if it is 'no' and the procedures are now

performed in smaller hospitals or ambulatory care centers, then you aren't

being disadvantaged at all, in fact the price may even go down!

What does your surgeon (Hares) say he will be doing after the first of the

year? Oftentimes I think the patient is the last to know, and we know that

the insurance company employees often only tell or have part of the story.

In the Midwest isn't there a company called Bariatric Treatment Centers? I

have no idea what they are, but if they have set up ambulatory care centers

for the surgery maybe that is what will happen.

I hope, for all our sakes, that you'll not be foreclosed from any wls,

especially DS in your area. Please keep us posted.

Judith in Seattle

Re: Michigan Duodenal Switch Operations in

Jeopardy, Help needed.

> Hi ,

> I'm sorry to hear this news although I can't say that I am

> suprised. BCBS of Michigan probably has their evil claws in this

> helping it happen. (Yes ya'll...I know that just because they have

> been hateful, uncaring scumsuckers to me that I can't blame them for

> everything but I do not doubt for a minute that they could possibly

> be involved in this.) They certainly are doing everything they can

> to prevent me getting the surgery and since they don't consider it a

> covered procedure hospitals won't be getting a dime out of them for

> this surgery.

> I think it is sad that so many states, insurance companies,

> hospitals, surgeons and patients have found the DS to be a positive

> thing yet so many others continue to slam it and deny access to it.

> It is a sad fact that most hospitals base their decisions on how much

> profit they can make instead of the humanity in saving someone's life

> with this surgery. I'm wishing you luck in your efforts.

>

> Sheila

>

>

> > Hello everyone in BPD/DS land, pre-op and post-op.

> >

> > Some of you may know who I am, a lot of you probably have no clue.

> >

> > I had Open BPD/DS on August 11, 2000. My surgeon was Dr. Hares.

> >

> > Michigan is witnessing the possible demise of this surgery and I

> need

> > your help and fast.

> >

> > Hospitals in Michigan are threatening to close their doors to this

> > surgery. Two hospitals have given December 31, 2000 as the final

> > dates. The hospital in Grand Rapids is also threatening shutting

> > down this surgery. That will leave no where in this state where

> > these qualified surgeons (four surgeons) can perform this life

> saving

> > procedure.

> >

> > They give different reasons for this decision based upon whom you

> > ask, the day of the week and the version. We've been told it isn't

> > profitable. Yet we see cases where they haven't billed or billed

> > incorrectly.

> >

> > I have posted an online petition that is directed to North Oakland

> > Medical Centers, where I had the surgery. I know that St. ph's

> > Mercy in Pontiac is going to do the same on 12-31-00. I'm also

> > trying to organize an informational picket at North Oakland Medical

> > Center in Pontiac to help bring attention to this matter.

> >

> > We need to become squeaky wheels and make lots of noise. We need

> to

> > be heard!

> >

> > This is life saving surgery.

> >

> > Please take a moment and sign this online petition and help me save

> > this surgery in Michigan!

> >

> > http://www.petitiononline.com/msbehavn/petition.html

> >

> > Thank you for your time.

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi :

I've signed the petition, and thanks for taking the time to do this. Most

of the signers are from out of state, though, so I don't know what good that

will do. Lets them know someone is watching, I guess.

Do you mean they're not going to do DS but will continue to do other wls,

RNY, etc?

I may not know what I'm talking about now, but here goes. Maybe the issue

isn't the operation but the fact that it is being done more often lap. If

the hospitals say it isn't 'cost- effective' for them to provide a place for

the operation, doesn't that mean they provide the operating room, but that

patients are not in the hospital long enough for them to make a profit? Or

that most of the recoveries are short and uneventful, hence no profit for

the hospital?

Why not examine other procedures that the hospitals have excluded to see if

it is no longer possible to obtain that surgery in your area. If the answer

is 'yes' then you are right, but if it is 'no' and the procedures are now

performed in smaller hospitals or ambulatory care centers, then you aren't

being disadvantaged at all, in fact the price may even go down!

What does your surgeon (Hares) say he will be doing after the first of the

year? Oftentimes I think the patient is the last to know, and we know that

the insurance company employees often only tell or have part of the story.

In the Midwest isn't there a company called Bariatric Treatment Centers? I

have no idea what they are, but if they have set up ambulatory care centers

for the surgery maybe that is what will happen.

I hope, for all our sakes, that you'll not be foreclosed from any wls,

especially DS in your area. Please keep us posted.

Judith in Seattle

Re: Michigan Duodenal Switch Operations in

Jeopardy, Help needed.

> Hi ,

> I'm sorry to hear this news although I can't say that I am

> suprised. BCBS of Michigan probably has their evil claws in this

> helping it happen. (Yes ya'll...I know that just because they have

> been hateful, uncaring scumsuckers to me that I can't blame them for

> everything but I do not doubt for a minute that they could possibly

> be involved in this.) They certainly are doing everything they can

> to prevent me getting the surgery and since they don't consider it a

> covered procedure hospitals won't be getting a dime out of them for

> this surgery.

> I think it is sad that so many states, insurance companies,

> hospitals, surgeons and patients have found the DS to be a positive

> thing yet so many others continue to slam it and deny access to it.

> It is a sad fact that most hospitals base their decisions on how much

> profit they can make instead of the humanity in saving someone's life

> with this surgery. I'm wishing you luck in your efforts.

>

> Sheila

>

>

> > Hello everyone in BPD/DS land, pre-op and post-op.

> >

> > Some of you may know who I am, a lot of you probably have no clue.

> >

> > I had Open BPD/DS on August 11, 2000. My surgeon was Dr. Hares.

> >

> > Michigan is witnessing the possible demise of this surgery and I

> need

> > your help and fast.

> >

> > Hospitals in Michigan are threatening to close their doors to this

> > surgery. Two hospitals have given December 31, 2000 as the final

> > dates. The hospital in Grand Rapids is also threatening shutting

> > down this surgery. That will leave no where in this state where

> > these qualified surgeons (four surgeons) can perform this life

> saving

> > procedure.

> >

> > They give different reasons for this decision based upon whom you

> > ask, the day of the week and the version. We've been told it isn't

> > profitable. Yet we see cases where they haven't billed or billed

> > incorrectly.

> >

> > I have posted an online petition that is directed to North Oakland

> > Medical Centers, where I had the surgery. I know that St. ph's

> > Mercy in Pontiac is going to do the same on 12-31-00. I'm also

> > trying to organize an informational picket at North Oakland Medical

> > Center in Pontiac to help bring attention to this matter.

> >

> > We need to become squeaky wheels and make lots of noise. We need

> to

> > be heard!

> >

> > This is life saving surgery.

> >

> > Please take a moment and sign this online petition and help me save

> > this surgery in Michigan!

> >

> > http://www.petitiononline.com/msbehavn/petition.html

> >

> > Thank you for your time.

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, good luck with your efforts. May I suggest that you proffread

your petition carefully -- there were several spelling errors in the

petition that need correcting.

When I wrote to Dr Rabkin about the plight of the doctors in Michigan,

he wrote me back and said that it was all about profits for hte

hospitals. If its a profitable procedure for them, they will do it;

if not, the board will often nix the procedure. It has nothing to do

with the DS being better than the RGB on a philosophical level -- it's

all about dollars. Sad state of affairs.

Again, good luck with your efforts.

[Guest guest]

, good luck with your efforts. May I suggest that you proffread

your petition carefully -- there were several spelling errors in the

petition that need correcting.

When I wrote to Dr Rabkin about the plight of the doctors in Michigan,

he wrote me back and said that it was all about profits for hte

hospitals. If its a profitable procedure for them, they will do it;

if not, the board will often nix the procedure. It has nothing to do

with the DS being better than the RGB on a philosophical level -- it's

all about dollars. Sad state of affairs.

Again, good luck with your efforts.

[Guest guest]

, good luck with your efforts. May I suggest that you proffread

your petition carefully -- there were several spelling errors in the

petition that need correcting.

When I wrote to Dr Rabkin about the plight of the doctors in Michigan,

he wrote me back and said that it was all about profits for hte

hospitals. If its a profitable procedure for them, they will do it;

if not, the board will often nix the procedure. It has nothing to do

with the DS being better than the RGB on a philosophical level -- it's

all about dollars. Sad state of affairs.

Again, good luck with your efforts.

[Guest guest]

I'm signed. :-)

Michigan Duodenal Switch Operations in Jeopardy,

> Help needed.

>

>

> > Hello everyone in BPD/DS land, pre-op and post-op.

> >

> > Some of you may know who I am, a lot of you probably have no clue.

> >

> > I had Open BPD/DS on August 11, 2000. My surgeon was Dr. Hares.

> >

> > Michigan is witnessing the possible demise of this surgery and I need

> > your help and fast.

> >

> > Hospitals in Michigan are threatening to close their doors to this

> > surgery. Two hospitals have given December 31, 2000 as the final

> > dates. The hospital in Grand Rapids is also threatening shutting

> > down this surgery. That will leave no where in this state where

> > these qualified surgeons (four surgeons) can perform this life saving

> > procedure.

> >

> > They give different reasons for this decision based upon whom you

> > ask, the day of the week and the version. We've been told it isn't

> > profitable. Yet we see cases where they haven't billed or billed

> > incorrectly.

> >

> > I have posted an online petition that is directed to North Oakland

> > Medical Centers, where I had the surgery. I know that St. ph's

> > Mercy in Pontiac is going to do the same on 12-31-00. I'm also

> > trying to organize an informational picket at North Oakland Medical

> > Center in Pontiac to help bring attention to this matter.

> >

> > We need to become squeaky wheels and make lots of noise. We need to

> > be heard!

> >

> > This is life saving surgery.

> >

> > Please take a moment and sign this online petition and help me save

> > this surgery in Michigan!

> >

> > http://www.petitiononline.com/msbehavn/petition.html

> >

> > Thank you for your time.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I would like to thank everyone who has signed this petition thus

far.

Amazing results! This has surpassed my expectations for only have it

published one day! You are all amazing!

I will keep you updated as to the progress of our fight here in

Michigan to keep this surgery available to us!

Again, I thank you.

For those of you that wish to sign the petition still, here is the

URL: http://www.petitiononline.com/msbehavn/petition.html