Asking for advice (long post)

December 9, 2001

I'd really appreciate some advice.

I've been researching WLS for a long time and am pretty sure I would like to

have DS surgery, preferably done laparoscopically. I have a PPO--Great West

Insurance Co. I haven't tried to get insurance approval yet, but have been

attempting to do all my " homework " first. I live in Chicago, but of course

there are no DS surgeons in the Chicago area. (Sigh...) I attended a few

support groups in New York, and was leaning toward having the surgery done

there by Dr. Ren--but (of course) she's not in my PPO's network.

I have looked up all of the names of doctors that I know do lap DS, and the

only ones I have found so far that are in my PPO's network are these:

Drs. Rabkin, Jossart, , Scholten, Vanguri, and Elariny.

I would love to hear from any of you postops which doctors you would

recommend. Some of the factors I need to consider are:

1) Is the doctor experienced in doing lap DS and comfortable with the

procedure (and, of course, competent)?

2) Is the staff at that doctor's hospital capable, caring, and supportive? Is

the hospital experience relatively positive?

3) I will have to travel to that hospital from Chicago. Are the facilities

close to an airport and easy to access? Are there facilities nearby where

out-of-towners can stay after surgery for a while if necessary--possibly

where amenities such as a recliner or microwave and refrigerator can be

arranged?

4) I may have to do this alone. Is there a decent home nurse I could hire to

help me during my recuperation immediately after being released from the

hospital (and maybe immediately postop in the hospital if the hospital staff

is overburdened and not very helpful or responsive)?

5) If the doctor is in my PPO's network, does s/he accept the insurance

payment as his/her full payment? If s/he isn't in the network, how much does

s/he charge? (Dr. Herron brought this to my attention. He made it sound as if

some doctors might be less expensive even if they are out of network than

others who charge more than the insurance co. would be willing to pay.)

6) ??? Are there other factors I'm missing that I should be considering?

I would appreciate any advice you can give me, either here in the group or

privately to my email address.

Thank you in advance!

B.

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