greensleeve

I just got another email from WW telling me they won't provide me with a receipt for my meetings or any verification unless I give them a cancelled check. Then it takes ten days. I'm trying really hard not to get upset but WTF??? Why can't they just give it to me? Im just sad and numb. I might go in person to a WW tomorrow and talk to someone. I was thinking I could record my conversation with the WW people where they tell me my dates and that they refuse to put it in writing and somehow send that to UHC. I don't know but I'm just so beyond frustrated. I will never go back to WW after this. Never. I have no faith that doctors or nutritionists know what to do to get me to lose weight. I have no faith left in myself that I can lose weight without this surgery. None. My doctor is overweight herself and I'm supposed to get diet information from her? I'm going to sit here and have a pity party.

Oh the surgeon's office lady told me to start with the six months, she wasn't very helpful.

Thanks everyone. Who is the patient advocate?

Ok thanks for the information!

Please don't take offense at the addiction comments. My grandfather was a severe alcoholic who was in and out of rehab at least eight times and got DWIs, was blacking out and had liver and brain damage. I am just so angry that I wasted 10 months when they could have told me this at the beginning! If it's only a waiting period, I have proof that I went to the seminar in February, that I've been to two support group meetings since then. I'm just so devastated and I'm trying so hard not to be a negative b&tch in my real life. This feels like a safe place to vent.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for your support, advice and thoughts. I just got back from shopping for pants. I hate shopping. I just really want this nightmare to be over.

Using this same reasoning....why should insurance pay for addicts to go to rehab? The rates of failure are huge! Should an alcoholic have to go to their doctor once a month for six months to monitor their sobriety? That's crazy. My insurance pays for cancer patients to have very expensive treatments regardless of how many months they have left to live. why should we pay to get another few months out of someone? See that line of thinking is crazy when it comes to other things but not when you are overweight. Then it's ok.

They are just hoping you will change insurance, go to Mexico, get pregnant, die, give up or lose your job so they don't have to pay.

They want to be sure they're not wasting their money....I'd like to see scientific proof that people who visit their magic doctor for 6 months have a higher success rate. I highly doubt it. To me that is what the psych eval and five year history should be for. It's just a stall tactic. If someone has heart disease and it could get better with diet and exercise, they just do sugery. It seems like more fat discrimination.

All it says is they have to determine if its medically necessary. Doesn't say how they determine that.

Does anyone know about plus one airfare? Do they get a discount or do you just have to pay normal fare?

It's just so hard after waiting a whole year! I literally don't think I can do more research. To say I have been obssessed is an understatement. I just find the six month requirement insulting. I have been told by a number of doctors that if I don't get off of Paxil Im not going to lose, and i can't get off of it. In addition not being able to work and being in pain all the time doesn't help.

Loose change, thanks! That's a good point about less exposure to bacteria.

Thanks. I don't understand how some people with my insurance aren't required to do the six months but some people are. From what I've been told every employer plan is different. it does say they will take WW in the last two years so that is good. Now I wait for that. I think I'm going to write a letter to them too.

All I can find is that notification is required for treatment of morbid obesity to determine if it is medically necessary. I can't find anything that specifies a six month diet or a five year history. Any idea where that might be on the site? Thanks in advance

I can't find them!

I have called three times asking for a copy of the policy only to be transferred three times and put on hold for twenty minutes. It's through my h's employer. I'm going to ask him to ask his HR for a copy of it.

I have called three times asking for a copy of the policy only to be transferred three times and put on hold for twenty minutes. It's through my h's employer. I'm going to ask him to ask his HR for a copy of it.

I was just reading reviews online. It's scary to me that they do surgery in a strip mall.

The funny thing is I'm basing this on experience. Two years ago we went to Cancun on our honeymoon. The last day we were there my husband stepped on a piece of glass by the pool on the way back from the beach. The medic came and washed his foot off with a used plastic bottle filled with some liquid with sharpie writing on it. He knew nothing about first aid. Nothing. So yeah it scares me. At the same time I know that everything depends on where you go and I'm sure if they are tailoring to Americans and Canadians they are going to have to be good. I'm just so glad that I have an option.

What kind of tests do you have to do before they give you a date?

How much did it cost?

I can get up to six weeks of fully paid short term disability. Hell I might stay in Mexico for a few more days....lol. My husband thinks Im nuts to even think about Mexico. I guess I like to be in control and I don't want to spend another six months jumping through hoops to be denied again. I'm going to submit the WW stuff and write a letter and if it's denied after that I'll reassess.

I think I'd rather go to Mexico. I have the money on my 401k I can withdraw for medical need. I feel like if I lose on the diet they will deny me for being under 40 BMI but if I don't lose they will say I obviously can't lose weight. I have dieted SO much I just can't bring myself to do it again. I just want to cry. Thanks for your support. Both of you.

I feel the same way. I hate getting my picture taken. Im depressed and it's hard for me to want to go our and do things. You aren't alone.