Insurance Ramblings

So, I originally thought my insurance would pay 100% of my WLS since my sinus surgery on April 11th will cover my deductible and, I expect, all of my out of pocket for the year. Then, I was told it will only cover 50% after I meet my deductible and that there is no out of pocket maximum. I'm still waiting on final confirmation of this but I suspect this is the case. Oh, and if I go with insurance, I have to have it at a Center of Excellence. Only hospitals qualify as a Center of Excellence. My doctor does the majority of his surgeries at at "outpatient" surgery center where you can stay confined for up to two days to help cut costs. If I have to have it at a hospital, my fees would greatly go up. The office told me I'd be better off paying their cash price ($12,200.00) then to file insurance because my 50% would definitely exceed the cash price being that the hospital fees are quite hefty. I kinda got it in my head that I'd be paying cash for the procedure but was still holding out hope I had better benefits than having to pay 50% of the bill.

Then today it happened. The lightbulb in my head turned on. I shouldn't have to pay 50% of the total bill. I should only have to pay 50% of the amount of approved charges by my insurance, right? Well, I called my surgeon's office and they were closed. Patience is not my strong point, so I decided to call another local doctor. The insurance girl there confirmed my thoughts. She told me my 50% of the physician's approved charges would only be around $500 to $600! OMG! That is great! Now, I know the hospital charges will be higher than the doctor's and thus a higher approved amount but it still shouldn't total their cash price of $11,900.00. The lady at the doctor's office didn't think so either but told me I'd need to call the hospital to verify. Unfortunately, they were closed for the weekend so the wait contines. One thing I do know though is insurance companies pay WAY under what doctors and hospitals bill. My sinus surgery physician's fee is over $11,000 but the approved amount is only a little over $2,000. It appears it will be that way with the WLS surgeon based on my conversation with a WLS office today. Therefore, I assume the hospital approved fees will be the same way. I can't wait to find out! So much so, I almost wish it was Monday now. See, I told you patience isn't my strong point. I'm just hoping I get to keep more of my money in my bank than I originally thought.

Woo Hoo! (I hope)

Why Do You Want To Lose Weight???

I'm sure many of us who have come to the point in our lives where we've had, will be having or are considering weight loss surgery have many of the same reasons for wanting to lose weight  Below is my list of 100 reasons to lose weight.

1	Because I don't want my weight to be an issue should my Mom need a kidney and I am a match for her
2	So that I will have more energy
3	So that I will live longer
4	So I will be healthier
5	So I don't want to tire out so easily
6	So I can tuck my shirts in my pants
7	I want to feel confident
8	Because I’m tired of my body hurting all the time
9	So I can cross my legs again comfortably
10	So I don't have to fear the scale
11	Because I want to be a runner
12	I want to be proud of myself
13	Because I hate the way I look
14	So I’m not embarrassed about my weight
15	So I can look in the mirror and like what I see
16	So I can connect with old friends
17	So I don't feel I failed at weight because I quit smoking
18	So that no one is embarrassed to be seen with me because of my weight
19	Because I want to put something on and it is too big
20	To not have to fear a doctor saying something about my weight
21	So my thighs don't rub together anymore
22	So my knees won’t hurt
23	So I can wear a bathing suit
24	Because who wants to be fat
25	So my boobs will be way smaller
26	So I don't have to worry about the doctor's office gowns being too small
27	So I don't have to worry about what fits me in my closet
28	Because I want to play more with Cason and Savannah
29	So my furniture doesn't wear out as quickly
30	Because I don't want to feel as people are staring at me because I am so fat
31	So I can get a regular size towel around me
32	Because I want to be more in control of my eating
33	So I can get a massage
34	Because I don't want my nieces and nephews to see me as the fat aunt
35	So I can sit Indian style in my chair
36	So the word obese or words morbidly obese won't be in my medical records
37	So I can get off the floor easier
38	So I'm not embarrassed to say what my weight is
39	I want to shop in the misses department
40	So I don’t care what people think of me
41	So I don't want to feel winded do normal daily activities
42	So I can go camping and ride on a jet ski
43	So I don’t hate getting dressed everyday
44	To improve or eliminate my sciatica
45	So  others to look at me as cute
46	So I don't have to look at skinny women and wish I could be one of them
47	So I don’t always feel like laying down
48	So my mental outlook will increase
49	So the outside of my thighs don’t ever touch the arms on a chair
50	So I can clean my house without having to stop constantly just to rest
51	So I can get out of the bath tub easier
52	Because I don't want to be obese anymore
53	To be able to wear a bra that actually fits
54	So I can do any exercise I choose
55	So I will actually like getting my picture taken
56	So I don’t have to worry that I won't fit in an airline seat
57	So that I can wear sexy panties again
58	Because I've already suffered disease most likely due to my weight
59	So I feel cute
60	So I will feel comfortable posting pictures on the internet
61	So that my thighs don’t touch the sides of the bath tub
62	To improve or eliminate my plantar fasciitis
63	So I can stand for more than just a few minutes
64	So I feel normal
65	So friends and family don't worry about my health
66	So I won't sweat so much
67	So that the water in the bath tub covers my whole body
68	So I can get on with my life
69	So that I can get a new picture for my work badge
70	So my extended family doesn’t always see me fat
71	So I want to get be in pictures
72	So I don’t think others are judging my food choices/purchases
73	So that I can feel comfortable in my clothes
74	To be able to lay in a tanning booth
75	Because of the health risks of obesity
76	So that I can buy clothes when I'm shopping with others
77	To reduce my cholesterol
78	So I can wear a push up bra
79	So I will feel better about myself
80	So I can lay out by the pool and get a tan
81	So I can pursue a relationship if I so desire
82	So I can breathe easier
83	Because I want to go to Disneyworld in 2013
84	So I can comfortably bend over
85	So I’m not afraid to tell others what size I wear
86	Because I want a bigger selection of clothes
87	So I can get on with my life
88	So I can be active
89	So that I don't have to wear plus sized clothes
90	So tying my shoes won’t be difficult
91	So my pants won't wear out in my thigh area
92	So I can go swimming
93	So I can cross my legs
94	So I can look good in a tight dress
95	So I can feel comfortable
96	So I can pay pay less for my clothes
97	To save money on healthcare costs
98	So my weight doesn’t make things so hard/impossible to do
99	To reduce my blood pressure
100	To be able to wear shorts

So, what are YOUR reasons for wanting to lose weight?

~Amy