Re: trying to decide

[Guest guest]

> Hi all!!! I'm new here. I've been researching different bypass ops

> and

> want to know; why did you choose the mini?

Much less time in surgery and under anesthesia (30 minutes, as

compared to 4-8 hours), super fast recovery time (less than 24

hours),

great doctor that is well liked by all his patients (I interviewed 97

of his patients and *all* of them love him, even the few who had some

kind of complication).

>Do you have the same % of

> weight loss compared to the ROUX en Y?

No, 20% more. See the paper Dr. Rutledge prepared for the

American Society of Bariatric Surgeons (ASBS) conference that's

coming

up. Right now, the MGB is the leader in weight loss.

> What about insurance

> acceptance? I've got Partners. I'm afraid they don't accept WLS.

*IF* there is no specific exemption in your policy that says

something

like " we don't cover weight loss surgery, " then the biggest hurdle

will be to prove that the surgery is " medically necessary. "

You do this on your patient information form, which Dr. R. will be

sending to your insurance company. You want to show your

weight is more than 100 pounds over your ideal weight, along with

*EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE PROBLEM FROM BEING OVERWEIGHT YOU CAN THINK

OF*

such as: pain in the hips, back, knees and ankles constantly and

worse

when walking, very swollen legs, asthma, diabetes, high blood

pressure, sleep apnea and snoring, problems with personal hygiene

(the

toilet olympics!), family history of heart attack, stroke, obesity.

You also will probably have to show you have been on diets for at

least a year that have failed (this is a no-brainer for most of us

who have been on just about every diet imaginable).

Some insurance companies make you prove you have been on a physician

supervised weight loss program for a year (mine did), but if you have

a family doctor and have talked to him/her about your weight before,

they may be happy to give you a letter saying they have " counselled

you about your weight for the past (X) months/years but that diets

and

medications have failed " or something to that effect.

The insurance may want a psychology evaluation saying you are

competent to have the surgery and follow the post-surgery diet.

I wonder if anybody has objected that psychiatry is against their

religion and been able to use a letter from their pastor saying they

are okay? Hmmm, hadn't thought of that one. Oh well.

>Has

> anyone had to fight for your rights?

Yep. Had my MGB on May 18, too.

>I've got 1000 questions!!! I

> have

> my yearly PE soon, and plan to come away with a referral. I've just

> got to deside, where to?? Please, I will welcome all the advice you

> all can give!! Would love to get to know fellow WLS people, pre and

> post! I'll be watching the message board for more info. Good luck,

> and

> have a blessed day!! Red-Lori

Hope this helps.

EMAIL: lindat AT fourlane.com (replace the AT with @, no spaces)

webpage: http://www.fourlane.com/lindat