Any success with getting state funded programs to get approval?

November 17, 2000

Hi Terry, I have heard of them being done by a surgeon in Wilmington,NC

named Dr Olchowski.So there is definitely a way.They have a support group,

eastern_ncgastricbypasssupportgroup (AT) egroups (DOT) com ,if this addy does not come

through just put Olchowski in your egroup search engine.I am sure that one

of his patients can help or tell you who can.I recently read a post where

the pt not only had the surgery pd for by 'Vocational Rehabilitation' but

also their panniculectomy(tt)Good Luck to you both, Janet

>

>Reply-To: MiniGastricBypass (AT) egroups (DOT) com

>To: MiniGastricBypass (AT) egroups (DOT) com

>Subject: Any success with getting state funded programs

>to get approval?

>Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 09:21:07 -0000

>

>Hello,

>

>This is Terry Means. I was fortunate enough to have had the surgery

>by Dr. Rutledge, and have been very pleased with the results. I am

>writing in regard to my older brother. He lives in WV, and is

>getting to a 'point of no return'. He is weighing about 530 lbs, and

>is getting to where he cannot walk very far any more. The reason I

>am writing, is to see if anyone has had any cases that have been

>approved by any state Departments of Health and Human Resources. He

>has been disabled for several years now because of his weight, and

>has been on the welfare system since then.

>Have you heard of any successful candidates that have been approved

>by this type of medicare, or medicaid programs? (I am not for sure

>what he falls under for the medical insurance, he is only 29 years

>old.) I have wrote to the department head about this, and she

>informs me that the program for the state doesn't approve of any

>weight loss practices, including nutrition counseling, medications,

>and especially surgery. If you have had any success getting these

>type of programs to go through, can you give me some tips on getting

>my brother approved. He is really getting helpless, and I don't have

>another spare $12,000 to pay for it for him.

>I wrote the Department of Health and Resources back, and explained to

>them that there has to be exeptions to every rule, and am hoping to

>get a response back from them. You know, it is kind of sad to see

>him get this big and helpless, but it is even more sad to see the

>state watch him die away.

>Maybe if you have heard of any special case programs that I might be

>able to get to help him get some self confidence back, so that we can

>get him on a track of helping himself a little to get him through

>these tough times. I really think he is getting to a point where

>rational talking with him about his weight loss is not even helping

>matters. More of a depressive state, and he is already on an anti-

>depressant (at max dose).

>I guess I had better stop now, before I start getting more

>depressed. I just hope to find some kind of help for him before he

>becomes bed rest.

>Thanks for being an ear to listen.

>

>Sincerely

>

>Terry Means

>tsmeans@...

>

November 17, 2000

Hello,

This is Terry Means. I was fortunate enough to have had the surgery

by Dr. Rutledge, and have been very pleased with the results. I am

writing in regard to my older brother. He lives in WV, and is

getting to a 'point of no return'. He is weighing about 530 lbs, and

is getting to where he cannot walk very far any more. The reason I

am writing, is to see if anyone has had any cases that have been

approved by any state Departments of Health and Human Resources. He

has been disabled for several years now because of his weight, and

has been on the welfare system since then.

Have you heard of any successful candidates that have been approved

by this type of medicare, or medicaid programs? (I am not for sure

what he falls under for the medical insurance, he is only 29 years

old.) I have wrote to the department head about this, and she

informs me that the program for the state doesn't approve of any

weight loss practices, including nutrition counseling, medications,

and especially surgery. If you have had any success getting these

type of programs to go through, can you give me some tips on getting

my brother approved. He is really getting helpless, and I don't have

another spare $12,000 to pay for it for him.

I wrote the Department of Health and Resources back, and explained to

them that there has to be exeptions to every rule, and am hoping to

get a response back from them. You know, it is kind of sad to see

him get this big and helpless, but it is even more sad to see the

state watch him die away.

Maybe if you have heard of any special case programs that I might be

able to get to help him get some self confidence back, so that we can

get him on a track of helping himself a little to get him through

these tough times. I really think he is getting to a point where

rational talking with him about his weight loss is not even helping

matters. More of a depressive state, and he is already on an anti-

depressant (at max dose).

I guess I had better stop now, before I start getting more

depressed. I just hope to find some kind of help for him before he

becomes bed rest.

Thanks for being an ear to listen.

Sincerely

Terry Means

tsmeans@...

November 17, 2000

Terry: I have no experience to offer but I was under the impression that some

states did pay. Seems stupid that they wouldn't...no other chance of getting

someone's life back to being productive...seems like they'd be glad to pay. I

hope you get some answers...have you contacted a local lawyer who could write a

letter for your brother to point out the good economical sense it would make and

to point out some of the great strides in research regarding what we now know

about morbid obesity? I wish you the best in this quest to get surgery for your

brother.

Flo in MD

> ** Original Subject: RE: Any success with getting state

funded programs to get approval?

> ** >

> ** Original Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 02:20:19 -0700

> ** Original Message follows...

>

> Hello,

>

> This is Terry Means. I was fortunate enough to have had the surgery

> by Dr. Rutledge, and have been very pleased with the results. I am

> writing in regard to my older brother. He lives in WV, and is

> getting to a 'point of no return'. He is weighing about 530 lbs, and

> is getting to where he cannot walk very far any more. The reason I

> am writing, is to see if anyone has had any cases that have been

> approved by any state Departments of Health and Human Resources. He

> has been disabled for several years now because of his weight, and

> has been on the welfare system since then.

> Have you heard of any successful candidates that have been approved

> by this type of medicare, or medicaid programs? (I am not for sure

> what he falls under for the medical insurance, he is only 29 years

> old.) I have wrote to the department head about this, and she

> informs me that the program for the state doesn't approve of any

> weight loss practices, including nutrition counseling, medications,

> and especially surgery. If you have had any success getting these

> type of programs to go through, can you give me some tips on getting

> my brother approved. He is really getting helpless, and I don't have

> another spare $12,000 to pay for it for him.

> I wrote the Department of Health and Resources back, and explained to

> them that there has to be exeptions to every rule, and am hoping to

> get a response back from them. You know, it is kind of sad to see

> him get this big and helpless, but it is even more sad to see the

> state watch him die away.

> Maybe if you have heard of any special case programs that I might be

> able to get to help him get some self confidence back, so that we can

> get him on a track of helping himself a little to get him through

> these tough times. I really think he is getting to a point where

> rational talking with him about his weight loss is not even helping

> matters. More of a depressive state, and he is already on an anti-

> depressant (at max dose).

> I guess I had better stop now, before I start getting more

> depressed. I just hope to find some kind of help for him before he

> becomes bed rest.

> Thanks for being an ear to listen.

>

> Sincerely

>

> Terry Means

> tsmeans@...

>

November 17, 2000

Terry,

I can understand your concern, I have 2 brothers that both weigh just over 300

lbs. each. But, does your brother want to have this surgery, or do you want him

to have it??

Because of the adjustments after surgery it is really important that the patient

wants to succeed..

Just wondering.

Good luck finding the money. I would help my brothers pay for it, if only they

seemed interested. I'm only 2 wks post-op maybe they will change their minds

when they see my success!

Trudy

Any success with getting state funded programs to

get approval?