Those of you who had to follow a 6 month supervised diet plan to get approved

[Mloukas143]

I was thinking...If I need to follow a 6 month supervised diet plan in order to get approved for my insurance (this is only one step out of many to get approved) can i have my doctor write a letter saying that i WILL be on a diet plan, or do i really have to go through the entire 6 month plan, then pray to God that I am actually approved? I don't want to do the 6 months, without knowing if i am approved or not..Did anyone else have to go through the same process?

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

I didn't have to do the 6 month diet, because I had been in Weight Watchers for almost 4 yrs, so I had a bunch of my WW cards for proof.. but.. I would talk to your insurance and see what they need in order to approve you.

My first appointment I was weighed at my surgeons office and that weight was sent in to the insurance company. I had to lose 20 lbs before he would do my surgery, and he didn't care how I did it, as long as I lost it. So I just stayed with WW until I had lost 17 lbs, (he said that 17 lbs was good enough for him) then I did the liquid diet pre-surgery and lost 7 more lbs.

Each time you go to your Dr, the date and your weight is documented. I'm not sure how you plan to do your 6 month weight loss, but make sure it's someplace the insurance will approve of. If you want to diet on your own, ask your PCP if you can go once a month to weigh in at the office, and get it documented. My PCP office will let me weigh at his office, and there's no charge, also they will take my blood pressure with no charge either. See if you can work something out with your PCP. If he/she is behind you wanting this surgery, they'll do what they can to help ya. (that's my take on this anyway.. :)) Good Luck!

[Kim G]

I do the insurance pre-certs for my surgeon....so I deal w/ insurance companies everyday. (Never said I was a sane person. haha) From my exp w/ the ones that require the diet is they will not take a letter, you either have to do it now or have done w/ in the last year or two. Each policy is different so if you want to tell me what you have I can let you know their requirements. If it's one I haven't dealt with I will try to find the info our for you. Stick w/ it and just get it done if you haven't done it already!!!!! I know it's a pain.....but it's worth it! :)

[Mloukas143]

Isn't it a pain? lol just thinking about it has me nervous. Kim, my insurance is Blue Cross Blue Shield. If you can find out the exact requirements that would be great. Although I can already tell you what they are, you may be more of a help as to breaking down each requirement for me since that is your skill lol.
Here are my requirements:
Height
Weight
Measurements
BMI
6 month supervised diet
psych evaluation
letter from doctor stating why i should have the surgery.

Melissa