I have MDIPA federal (United healthcare I think) and I had to go through the 6 months diet plan thing plus the psychological evaluation and blood work, EKG and barium swallow test. I would go once a moth to my pcp to weight in and in my 5th visit I asked for the referral for the barium swallow test (and scheduled it) and on my last visit I also did the EKG and went for the blood work. The only thing I did not foresaw was how long the psychological part woul take..... I only found an appt available for 2 months later, then I had to go to more 3 visits after the initial one (tests) and when it was all said and done, they took 1 month(!!) to mail the report. The authorization from the insurance took only 10 days and two weeks later I had the surgery. It took me Eleven meses since my first weight in woth the pcp, but the delay with the psychologist was a real bummer. If I could tell anything to myself one year ago, I would tell "me" to start the psychological part at the same time I began the weight in with my pcp. GL