Subject: An interesting experience today

November 30, 2001

In a message dated 11/29/01 11:22:48 PM Eastern Standard Time,

<< Anyway, while I was waiting to have it done, a spoke with a couple of

nurses and they asked why I was having it done (the endoscopy). I

explained that I was going to have WLS and they said " ohhh " you all

know what kind of " ohhh " I'm talking about...the kind followed by a

grimace and a mental judgement (sigh). So I asked why they responded

like that...they explained that they saw a lot of patients in their

office with problems... " eek " I thought... " what kind of problems? " I

asked...their response was that lots of people come in with blocked

stomas and various problems... " ahhhhh " (I responded..lol). That wont

be me...I'm having another kind I said.

I explained the surgery to them and they seemed really surprised

about the DS..they had never heard of it (and they worked in a

bariatric surgeons office...weird huh?). >>

So, this is when the " medical establishment " (nurses) could give us a hand

with the insurance companies and actually let *them* know that the RNY costs

them more money in the long run, with additional medical problems, and

revisions.......so I wonder why they don't tell the truth about RNY to

insurance companies?

Maybe someone needs to get feedback from nurses and people who are on the

front lines so to speak of seeing RNY problems to inform the insurance

companies. Only problem then is, the ins co will probably say they won';t

insure *any* wls, because I wonder if they would even still give DS a chance

if they could have the same nurses say they do not have these problems with

people who had DS......or even if those nurses *know* that they don't have

problems with DS patients, because they never come in to be taken care of

so...........(how would they even know??)

There has got to be a *way* to get that message across to surgeons and

insurance companies......unless things are even worse than I think they are

and the RNY surgeons are in cohorts with the insurance companies and all

everyone cares about is the bottom line.

Carole

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