Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 Congratulations! I'm so glad that you found a way to get your surgery. I'm still fighting, and I don't even have an exclusion. I called a sleep clinic today, as I'm sure that I have sleep apnea, just have not been diagnosed. My insurance company says that they will review my case again if I get additional (new)information from a doctor stating that I need the surgery. I can't believe that the six letters from six different doctors stating other comorbids are not enough, but if they are willing to pay for more testing, I'm willing to get tested. Anyway, I'm so happy for you, and I know that things will go well for you. Stormy ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 Yeah . Best of luck to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 It is WRONG that you HAVE to pay, but since that is the only way, and you have done your homework, then I am really happy for you that you are making this choice. You will be in my prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 In a message dated 03/09/2000 12:51:33 PM Eastern Standard Time, nvalmassoi@... writes: << It is a scary and real risk, but when your life is on the line, you don't have quite as much to lose. I am going to fight insurance to the end, but in the end, if I lose, I will self pay too. My husband is very concerned about the risk of additional financial burden, but it is something I am not very willing to negotiate. I would do it for him in a heart beat. As long as Dr. R gets paid the hospital can get in line. >> , I agree....we have to self pay as well. I'm scared about the extra costs if there is a problem....but I assume I'll do fine. I have with other surgeries...walked out of the hospital 8 hours after having my gallbladder out.....so let's hope and pray. My husband is so supportive, and so happy for me. At first I thought he's have a fit and say NO WAY. He's a physician himself....and they are the most critical of things like surgery. But he's seen how hard I have tried to loose weight for 24 years of marriage, and 7 years before that. He wants me to be happy...not that I'm not happy, but I just want to 'look normal', and do fun things with my 5 kids. If I can be healthier...I might talk him into adopting a 6th!!!! (one thing at a time). I'm so excited, because the online form I filled out, after loosing my mouse on AOL 2 nights in a row....made it to Debbie!!! Yeah! Dede Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 So how much does this surgery generally run?? Because I know Im going to have to self pay also! ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 Hi guys! Well- I got a loan for the surgery! There is no way that my ins com. is going to pay. I spoke with the insurance commissioner & he said that as long as it is " written " in the policy there is nothing that he can do! So- I don't want to wait anymore! I have been appealing United Healthcare of NC for a year now! I go to my 2nd clinical on 3-18-00 @ noon! Is anyone else going then too????? )~ Lund Sprint Sales Rep 910) 864-4145 910) 273-4400 cell, pager HIS strength is perfect in my weakness! 2Cor. 12: 9 ---------- Original Text ---------- From: C=US/A=TELEMAIL/P=Sprint/O=SMTP/DDA=rfc-822/Stjscuf123(a)aol.co, on 3/9/00 10:13 AM: Complete Subject: Re: Response to Paige abou t heard headed womem and Dr. R!!! ----------------------------- [X.400 Text Follows] ----------------------------- From: Stjscuf123@... That's hilarious ! in Raleigh ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! http://click./1/936/1/_/453517/_/952614783/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com Please visit our web site at http://clos.net Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 Congratulation, you are definitly worth it. Re: Response to Paige abou t heard headed womem and Dr. R!!! ----------------------------- [X.400 Text Follows] ----------------------------- From: Stjscuf123@... That's hilarious ! in Raleigh ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! http://click./1/936/1/_/453517/_/952614783/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com Please visit our web site at http://clos.net Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 0.0% Intro APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! http://click./1/975/1/_/453517/_/952615060/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com Please visit our web site at http://clos.net Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 I've thought about that too if insurance turns me down. Only thing is, things can happen, and I'm afraid that if *I* self pay, I'll have a leak and come home with $100,000 to pay out of my own pocket. Plus if you have any probs down the line, insurance won't pay a penny. Usually exclusions include any sort of future problems also. I will pray that you come through it with flying colors! :-) fg At 09:17 AM 03/09/2000 -0600, you wrote: > > >Hi guys! Well- I got a loan for the surgery! There is no way that my ins com. is going to pay. I spoke with the insurance commissioner & he said that as long as it is " written " in the policy there is nothing that he can do! So- I don't want to wait anymore! I have been appealing United Healthcare of NC for a year now! I go to my 2nd clinical on 3-18-00 @ noon! Is anyone else going then too????? )~ > Lund >Sprint Sales Rep >910) 864-4145 >910) 273-4400 cell, pager >HIS strength is perfect in my weakness! > 2Cor. 12: 9 > > > >---------- Original Text ---------- > >From: C=US/A=TELEMAIL/P=Sprint/O=SMTP/DDA=rfc-822/Stjscuf123(a)aol.co, on 3/9/00 10:13 AM: > >Complete Subject: Re: Response to Paige abou > t heard headed womem and Dr. R!!! > >----------------------------- [X.400 Text Follows] ----------------------------- >From: Stjscuf123@... > >That's hilarious ! > in Raleigh > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% >Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! >http://click./1/936/1/_/453517/_/952614783/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com >Please visit our web site at http://clos.net >Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates >as low as 0.0% Intro APR and no hidden fees. >Apply NOW! >http://click./1/975/1/_/453517/_/952615060/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com >Please visit our web site at http://clos.net >Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 Sometimes I think insurances just ask for things like that just to say, " What's it worth to ya? " If you give up right away then they've won. Hang in there Stormy! fg At 10:21 AM 03/09/2000 CST, you wrote: > > >Congratulations! I'm so glad that you found a way to get your surgery. I'm >still fighting, and I don't even have an exclusion. >I called a sleep clinic today, as I'm sure that I have sleep apnea, just >have not been diagnosed. My insurance company says that they will review my >case again if I get additional (new)information from a doctor stating that I >need the surgery. I can't believe that the six >letters from six different doctors stating other comorbids are not enough, >but if they are willing to pay for more testing, I'm willing to get tested. >Anyway, I'm so happy for you, and I know that things will go well for you. > > Stormy >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% >Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! >http://click./1/936/1/_/453517/_/952619313/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com >Please visit our web site at http://clos.net >Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 Hi Liz. Well, I would like to say some things about Dr. Rutledge and the MGP. The doctors here in Iceland have very high standard. They choose only the best doctors in each field all around the world if they have to send a patient out of the country for a medical treatment or a surgery. First when I went to the doctor here who is considered the best in laborascopic surgery and was talking about the surgery to her she told me not to believe everything I saw on the Internet. She said she knew of all these WL surgeries that are being done and none of them could be made in this short time etc. I got quite unsecure and said that if Dr. Rutledge was hiding something, why has he all these warning all over the site and why he was talking about the complications etc. She said it was all for selling and selling. Then I told her the name of the hospital and she stopped in the middle of her sentence and stared at me, and said: " That hospital is one of the most highly respected hospitals in USA. What is the name of the doctor who is doing the surgery? " and I told her of course. She was silent for a moment and said: " This hospital and this doctor do not do ANY surgery, the only thing they perform is completely safe and the care in this hospital is first class. I know Dr. Rutledge, he is highly respected in our field. You go ahead and have the surgery and when I have the time, I hope I can go and study how this surgery is done. I have now several patients who nothing has worked for, I will seriously look into this surgery and see if I can't send them there too. " Those were her words Liz. I think you should stop to try to convince your sister, it sounds like she has made her mind up. Just let her see how you will be doing - that is the " best fist in the face " you can give her. In some time, her doctor and other doctors will see how remarkable this MGB is and by then, we will all be slim and slender. I will have to pay for the surgery myself, of course I hope there will not be any complications and that the cost will be the minimum, but I must say that 10.000 $, 20.000 $ or 30.000 $ or more is not a high price for your life. As of now, I don't have a life, only a life of misery in most ways. Nobody can understand how it is to be this much overweight but the persons who have been there. The shame, the guilt, the .... everything. And of course the little things that mean so much. I will pay this surgery myself though it will take all my life to pay for it, for the health and happiness is not measured in money. Keep up the spirit Liz, I'm sure that Dr. Rutledge can work out some things and get the hospital to give us some more discount if we will have complications. My best wishes to you, pre-op - April 10 2000 Re: SELF PAY > From: smittyx03@... > > I wanted to write this and see what everyone else thought about this . I had > surgery with Dr. Rutledge and my sister really wanted to have hers done by > him to but since her insurance won't pay for her to go out of network she had > to go see a doctor here in Connecticut where we live. After her appointment > she came home and said that Dr. Reinhold the doctor here in Connecticut had a > few snide remarks about Dr. Rutledge and the mini gastric bypass but she > wouldn't go on to say anymore so I let it drop, then yesterday I get a e-mail > from another lady who said she is seeing Dr. Reinhold and she was scared to > have the open surgery and that she had just found Dr. Rutledge site and > wanted to know how I felt about the surgery and Dr. Rutledge per say because > she was very interested in having the mini gastric bypass. I e-mailed her > back and told her everything I knew and told her good luck on making a > decision on what surgery to have. Well she e-mails me back and tells me that > Dr. Reinhold says that Dr. Rutledge surgery was not very effective. My > problem is why do all these surgeons feel the need to bad mouth different > types of surgery. I feel I made the best decision for a surgeon and the best > decision as far as the type of wls. My sister and I are now butting heads > because she thinks her doctor really knows what he is talking about and that > the mini gastric bypass is not effective. I think it is a bunch of crap. I > just had to vent. Thanks Liz > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% > Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! > http://click./1/936/1/_/453517/_/952626737/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com > Please visit our web site at http://clos.net > Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 It all depends on how long you stay, for two nights it is $ 13.000 (approximately), that was what Dr. R. informed me. Re: SELF PAY > From: yarnmama@... > > > > > << So how much does this surgery generally run?? Because I know Im going to > have to self pay also! > >> > > , I believe it's about $4300 for Dr. R; $11,000 to $13,000 for Durham > Regional; and, about $1,000 for the anesthetists. Less than $20,000 anyway. > For self-pays, Dr. R has negotiated a 20% discount with Durham Regional > (payment up front) and he also discounts his own fee 20% for self-pays. No > break (yet) on the anesthetists. Dee in Mi. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates > as low as 0.0% Intro APR and no hidden fees. > Apply NOW! > http://click./1/975/1/_/453517/_/952637607/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com > Please visit our web site at http://clos.net > Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2000 Report Share Posted March 9, 2000 Yes! What an endorsement! You go Dr. R! >>> kristin1@... 03/09/00 07:32PM >>> Hi Liz. Well, I would like to say some things about Dr. Rutledge and the MGP. The doctors here in Iceland have very high standard. They choose only the best doctors in each field all around the world if they have to send a patient out of the country for a medical treatment or a surgery. First when I went to the doctor here who is considered the best in laborascopic surgery and was talking about the surgery to her she told me not to believe everything I saw on the Internet. She said she knew of all these WL surgeries that are being done and none of them could be made in this short time etc. I got quite unsecure and said that if Dr. Rutledge was hiding something, why has he all these warning all over the site and why he was talking about the complications etc. She said it was all for selling and selling. Then I told her the name of the hospital and she stopped in the middle of her sentence and stared at me, and said: " That hospital is one of the most highly respected hospitals in USA. What is the name of the doctor who is doing the surgery? " and I told her of course. She was silent for a moment and said: " This hospital and this doctor do not do ANY surgery, the only thing they perform is completely safe and the care in this hospital is first class. I know Dr. Rutledge, he is highly respected in our field. You go ahead and have the surgery and when I have the time, I hope I can go and study how this surgery is done. I have now several patients who nothing has worked for, I will seriously look into this surgery and see if I can't send them there too. " Those were her words Liz. I think you should stop to try to convince your sister, it sounds like she has made her mind up. Just let her see how you will be doing - that is the " best fist in the face " you can give her. In some time, her doctor and other doctors will see how remarkable this MGB is and by then, we will all be slim and slender. I will have to pay for the surgery myself, of course I hope there will not be any complications and that the cost will be the minimum, but I must say that 10.000 $, 20.000 $ or 30.000 $ or more is not a high price for your life. As of now, I don't have a life, only a life of misery in most ways. Nobody can understand how it is to be this much overweight but the persons who have been there. The shame, the guilt, the .... everything. And of course the little things that mean so much. I will pay this surgery myself though it will take all my life to pay for it, for the health and happiness is not measured in money. Keep up the spirit Liz, I'm sure that Dr. Rutledge can work out some things and get the hospital to give us some more discount if we will have complications. My best wishes to you, pre-op - April 10 2000 Re: SELF PAY > From: smittyx03@... > > I wanted to write this and see what everyone else thought about this . I had > surgery with Dr. Rutledge and my sister really wanted to have hers done by > him to but since her insurance won't pay for her to go out of network she had > to go see a doctor here in Connecticut where we live. After her appointment > she came home and said that Dr. Reinhold the doctor here in Connecticut had a > few snide remarks about Dr. Rutledge and the mini gastric bypass but she > wouldn't go on to say anymore so I let it drop, then yesterday I get a e-mail > from another lady who said she is seeing Dr. Reinhold and she was scared to > have the open surgery and that she had just found Dr. Rutledge site and > wanted to know how I felt about the surgery and Dr. Rutledge per say because > she was very interested in having the mini gastric bypass. I e-mailed her > back and told her everything I knew and told her good luck on making a > decision on what surgery to have. Well she e-mails me back and tells me that > Dr. Reinhold says that Dr. Rutledge surgery was not very effective. My > problem is why do all these surgeons feel the need to bad mouth different > types of surgery. I feel I made the best decision for a surgeon and the best > decision as far as the type of wls. My sister and I are now butting heads > because she thinks her doctor really knows what he is talking about and that > the mini gastric bypass is not effective. I think it is a bunch of crap. I > just had to vent. Thanks Liz > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% > Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! > http://click./1/936/1/_/453517/_/952626737/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com > Please visit our web site at http://clos.net > Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! http://click./1/936/1/_/453517/_/952649090/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com Please visit our web site at http://clos.net Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 18, 2000 Report Share Posted March 18, 2000 Dear Maureen, I was self pay on Jan 10, 2000. Dr R and the hospital gave me a 25% discount. Not 20% as some have said, but 25%. So I don't know if that is the same or not. Yes I was denied by my insurance, very unfairly I must say. They had me do all kinds of stupid things, making me think if I did this and this and this that they would pay for the surgery. They sent me to a really stupid Doc in St Louis that was an obesity specialist that is dead set against wt loss surgery of any kind. She belives in taking xenical. So I came home and took that stupid drug which almost killed me. Then I had all kinds of tests that they required and still they turned me down. But anyway I have a good lawyer, hot on their trail and I am going to sue their blankety blank asses off. You must do the same thing. We have to stand up to these insurance companies and make them understand the truth. in Missouri MGB 1 10 2000 weighing 242 lbs. Presently at 188 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 18, 2000 Report Share Posted March 18, 2000 Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit more about your experience with xenical. I am having a difficult time convincing my pcp that surgery is what I need, I think that my next step with him is to try xenical so I am interested in any insight you can give me about this. Thank you Beth Very pre op Deckbound@... wrote: > From: Deckbound@... > > Dear Maureen, I was self pay on Jan 10, 2000. Dr R and the hospital > gave me > a 25% discount. Not 20% as some have said, but 25%. So I don't know > if that > is the same or not. Yes I was denied by my insurance, very unfairly I > must > say. They had me do all kinds of stupid things, making me think if I > did > this and this and this that they would pay for the surgery. They sent > me to > a really stupid Doc in St Louis that was an obesity specialist that is > dead > set against wt loss surgery of any kind. She belives in taking > xenical. So > I came home and took that stupid drug which almost killed me. Then I > had all > kinds of tests that they required and still they turned me down. But > anyway > I have a good lawyer, hot on their trail and I am going to sue their > blankety > blank asses off. You must do the same thing. We have to stand up to > these > insurance companies and make them understand the truth. in > Missouri MGB 1 10 2000 weighing 242 lbs. Presently at 188 lbs. > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at > Onelist.com > Please visit our web site at http://clos.net > Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2000 Report Share Posted March 20, 2000 Congratulations to you too!! We are lucky duckies!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2000 Report Share Posted March 20, 2000 > Xenical may work for people that are very prone to constipation. When I talked to my PCP about supporting me for Dr. R's surgery, he said that Xenical was contraindicated for people needing to lose 100 or more lbs. The cost is $100+ per month and the cost per lb. is very high and he said he would not ask me to use it. Also, I have high blood pressure which is controlled by medication and he said that Meridia is contraindicated for a person like me. I tried Redux a couple of years ago and have regained that weight. Also, at a later date when he was talking with my husband about me having surgery, he said that surgery was the only way I would ever lose the weight. We think we have a great PCP and I am very happy with the way he has handled our talks about WLS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2000 Report Share Posted March 20, 2000 > Xenical may work for people that are very prone to constipation. When I talked to my PCP about supporting me for Dr. R's surgery, he said that Xenical was contraindicated for people needing to lose 100 or more lbs. The cost is $100+ per month and the cost per lb. is very high and he said he would not ask me to use it. Also, I have high blood pressure which is controlled by medication and he said that Meridia is contraindicated for a person like me. I tried Redux a couple of years ago and have regained that weight. Also, at a later date when he was talking with my husband about me having surgery, he said that surgery was the only way I would ever lose the weight. We think we have a great PCP and I am very happy with the way he has handled our talks about WLS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2000 Report Share Posted March 20, 2000 Dear , Did your insurance company deny you? Or did you just self pay? Also did you have trouble getting your doctor to support you? What state are you in? Maureen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2000 Report Share Posted March 20, 2000 Dear Maurine, I live in Missouri and my insurance did deney me. I have a lawyer that is in the process of sueing them for me. I will post on this list when I know more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2000 Report Share Posted March 20, 2000 Maurine, I did have trouble finding a doc that would support me. My doc of 12 years dismissed me as he was adamently opposed to the surgery. It was very traumatic. I had almost every strike against me during the many weeks and months prior to surgery. It was sort of a nightmare. But finally I had surgery on Jan 10,2000 and have been losing weight ever since and am so happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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