Dietitian records requirements

[tmposton 49]

I have just spoken with my surgeon's office to get started in the process of having the surgery done. I have been scheduled for the first session that is required for my insurance. I was told by the gastric surgery coordinator that I have to have 6 months supervised diet documentation. I have been doing Weight Watchers for 5 months and have all the diet logs from that. Does anyone know how I can transform that into dietitian documentation so I can get the ball going faster???

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I can't speak for your insurance specifically. Some won't accept Weight Watchers as a supervised diet because it's not overseen by a doctor. But, if your insurance will, I would get a signed copy of your billing statement from WW. It will show 5 months of payment for services rendered. Then, have your doctor sign it too.

Again, it depends on if your insurance will accept WW, but I know someone who did this and their insurance accepted it.

[kazjim98 618]

Every insurance is different, mine for example only excepts weight watchers if you were also seen by a doctor every month for 6 consecutive months..I would find out by calling your insurance company to see exactly what they except and then get proof from WW as Missy suggests. Good Luck!

[Jim1967 3,569]

I think Mis73 touches on all the points that I would. My insurance company would accept WW had I done it but they required food journals, and exercise logs as well as receipts covering the 6 months. I did not have any of that so I did the 6 months.

My Surgeon's practice had an in-house insurance coordinator. That person took care of all insurance needs between them and I. She knew all the ins and outs. She compiled all the data in the format the insurance company wanted and she submitted it.

I really had no interaction with the insurance company aside from the very first call to see if it was even covered at all.

[babykins529 189]

Mine is the same as Kaz. I was on weight watchers too, and the insurance accepts that...but only if supervised by a physician. Very tricky wording. So I couldn't use it but I only had to have 3 months supervised diet. Talk to your insurance.

[pinx 18]

BCBS required medically suprvised weightloss program (3 month minimum) and an additional nutritional assessment from a certified nutritionist. You also had to have tried other diets and either failed or gained the weight back. You can try to find the information online for your plan, call the company, or talk to the office you are going through. Any of the three should point you in the right direction. Each insurance is different and what one may accept, another may not.

[dani_nyc 224]

My insurance didn't accept ww... They wanted weight logs, progress notes and food logs by a certified nutritionist.. . I used the additional 6 months with a nutritionist that had experience specifically in WLS to prepare and practice for how life was gonna be after surgery.. It made post op much easier!