Re: Out of Network referral

[Guest guest]

Thank you, thank you , thank you Ellen,

That is exactly the type of letter I need for ammunition with my

insurance company! You are so kind to take the time to write. I would

love to be greedy and send out another request for more letters on why a

revision to a DS from a VBG or RNY was necessary if anyone would be willing

to write them. The more the better.

I am sorry for your problems with the VBG and am so glad for you that

you were able to find a way to have the DS done. Good luck with your

surgery and I hope this will be the end of the problems you have been

having. I bet the surgery date can't come too soon for you. Thank you

again.

Janice in Texas

Out of Network referral

> I don't know if this will help anyone, but here goes. I had a non-

> adjustable gastric band in 1997. For the next year I lost a lot of

> weight and was very, very, sick. My opening into the main part of my

> stomach kept closing up with scar tissue. I had to have several

> scopes to open it up. The last one broke it, at that time I was

> hemoraging because nothing was getting into to my stomach but the

> gastric acid. Everything including water would come up immediately.

> So, when I went to my primary care physcian to have a weight loss

> surgery (RNY & VGB are the only ones done in my area) he would not

> recommend them because they create a narrow opening and have the same

> type of problems that I already had with the band. Then my husband

> and I went to work and researched other methods and my husband found

> the DS. I took the information to my doctor and he agreed that it

> would be a good procedure for me. He wrote the referral to my

> insurance United Health care, and I got the referral. I found out

> what they needed in the letter of medical necessity and wrote a

> letter with all the information I gave it to my primary care physcian

> and he had his office staff copy it on their letterhead, he signed

> it, and I was approved before I went to see Dr. Rabkin. I wish

> everyone good luck. I hope I've given you a idea to use and am sorry

> it is so long.

>

> I will be switched on May 9, and I wish that all of you will be able

> to have this wonderful operation soon.

>

> Good luck to you all,

>

> Ellen

> pre-op weight 405

> BMI 68

>

>

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