I Need Some Help, Please And Thank You :)

[AdeptDreamer 104]

Hi, I'm 20 and I called my insurance company (UHC Choice Plan A) back when I was 19 and they said I couldn't get any type of WLS until I was 21.. I just got off the phone with them and they told me I can do the 6 months of supervised dieting. But they didn't really answer any of my other questions like nutrition classes and psych evals.

I turn 21 in Oct and really want to get sleeved in Dec due to school. Am I being unrealistic about being sleeved in Dec? Do nutrition classes span over 4-6 months?

[kimmy*custis 276]

I had my first weight loss consult the end of October 2011, and they wanted to do surgery in Dec! I waited till Feb when I could get the time off. The nutrition part was only 2 visits for me so I am not sure how your insurance works. Good luck to you.

[AdeptDreamer 104]

Thank you Kimmy*Custis Hopefully my insurance is the same!

[kimmy*custis 276]

I hope so! It is amazing to me how different some of them are. Some have the 6 month supervised diet, 2 week pre-op diet etc. I had no supervised diet ( I did give them all the info of the diets I have tried over the years, I am much older than you) and only had a 2 day clear liquid diet before surgery. I would call the weight loss surgeon office and they can tell you about all the requirements you need before surgery.

[emily_0192010 168]

I'm not sure how your insurance works, but for mine I had my first appointment in may and and my surgery was in october... and that was with only 3 months of the "physcian supervised weight loss" . If you can start that NOW, then you're 6 months would be done in November. Most surgeon's submit for approval AFTER this is completed, so December might be pushing it. However, it is worth a shot. Have you talked to your surgeon yet? His/Her insurance coordinator would be a GREAT source of information, because she could look at your insurance policy directly and give you more accurate info.

Congrats and good luck! I had my surgery at 20 years old, I'm now 21. Best thing I EVER did!

[emily_0192010 168]

Oh! Another thing you could do is go to an information session if you haven't already had one. Almost all surgeon's office's offer one. That would be a GREAT place to pick their brains (as it should be free!). At my info session the insurance coordinator was there along with the surgeon specifically so she could answer insurance questions.

If you are in Jax, Fl (or near) I could give you more specific info on the info sessions... a good place to look them up is thru the hospital's website or the surgeon's office.

[favoredone 590]

I only had to do 3 nutrition classes, but 6 monthly appointments w/ my WL doctor.. Best wishes and good luck!!