So I have UHC but through a different company obviously. I worked with a Bariatric Center of Excellence where I live. I need 6 months of consecutive doctor visits where I was weighed and we discussed my weight and health concerns. for me, this was not difficult because I was suffering from severe stomach issues, including gastroparesis, which is why I was recommended for the surgery in the first place. I had also had consecutive visits with a endocrinologist for my PCOS. They did not require the 6 months to be from the date of, but could also be backtracked. In your case since you may not have this history, you may need to start from the beginning. But 6 months is not bad and it goes very quickly trust me. UHC also required three consecutive months of visiting with the nutritionist. This can be done in tandem I believe with the 6 months of doctor visits. You need to show that you can change your habits and lose weight during this time with the nutritionist. they also require that you meet with a psychologist to evaluate if you're mentally healthy enough for this surgery and the life changes it will bring. I did have to deal with Optum as well on their side, and never had an issue. I had to speak with a nurse for a few months and she would keep up on where I was, let me know where the process was on their end, and they did some follow-up post surgery. I really had no problem with them at all. They were very nice. All in all my process was very smooth, I had no issues getting approved, and it went quickly. I am not sure if part of that was because of how well the bariatric center was run, but I am very pleased with both United healthcare and my center. I did have to pay some out of pocket for vitamins and some hospital copay, but it was under $500. I hope this answers your question as best as I can, I realize that the insurance coverage may be different depending on the company and the program. But if you have any other questions let me know. Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk