Insurance approved!

[Keluliana 0]

Yay! Insurance approved my surgery! I got the letter in the mail and can't say how relieved I am. I was so worried they wouldn't accept my diet history as a doctor-controlled, results-documented regimen. It seems so silly that some insurance companies make you go on a six month supervised doctor program just to verify that you will fail. Unless for some reason you really have never thought about losing weight before and just decided this would be the easiest, but I'll bet that anyone here has a mile long list of other diets they've tried before finally even considering surgery. Thank goodness that's all (or mostly) over with.

Only worry now is that they will post-pone my surgery until I lose the five (probably seven now, sigh) pounds they told me I had to lose before the pre-op appointment. The pre-op is tomorrow, and I have most definitely not lost the weight.

Anyway, biggest hurdle jumped. Insurance says I'm clear!

[Elisabethsew 50]

You have to lose 5-7 pounds? Why? Congratulations on your approval.

[TracyinKS 7]

congrats!!!!!!!!!!

[Mischievous1 6]

I too have a diet journal I have kept for the past 12 months with my monthly weigh in, how I felt and exercise etc...I was wondering if I should try to submit that but I don't know if I can get my Dr. to sign off on it? He's pretty conservative, but I went to him EXACTLY a year ago and had him run tests on me and when I came back a week later he told me thyroid is find, blood sugar is good, blood pressure great. etc etc basically he said that I just need to cut my calories more and exercise harder and eventually I would see some results, I left really disappointed that he didn't offer more help...hello everyone knows that stuff, it's just hard to make it all work! How much is enough? Anyway any advice you can offer on what you did for me would be GREAT! I really want to do this!

[Lap_dancer 8]

Yay! Insurance approved my surgery! I got the letter in the mail and can't say how relieved I am. I was so worried they wouldn't accept my diet history as a doctor-controlled, results-documented regimen. It seems so silly that some insurance companies make you go on a six month supervised doctor program just to verify that you will fail. Unless for some reason you really have never thought about losing weight before and just decided this would be the easiest, but I'll bet that anyone here has a mile long list of other diets they've tried before finally even considering surgery. Thank goodness that's all (or mostly) over with.

Only worry now is that they will post-pone my surgery until I lose the five (probably seven now, sigh) pounds they told me I had to lose before the pre-op appointment. The pre-op is tomorrow, and I have most definitely not lost the weight.

Anyway, biggest hurdle jumped. Insurance says I'm clear!

WOO HOOOO! Frame that letter and

DANCE!!!!!!!!!

[faithmd 14]

First of all, on the weight loss: Some require it to show that you can follow a plan and have a high level of committment. My insurance requires you to lose 5% of your excess weight during your MD supervised diet.

Second, Mischevious1: You might want to call your insurance and find out EXACTLY what they require as far as records go. My insurance will NOT accept ANYTHING but MD office notes. Yep, I have to have one YEAR of MD office notes where we discussed my weight and my diet EVERY month, as well as a weight MONTHLY at the MD's office. Letters from the MD are NOT accepted. But every insurance is different, so call tomorrow morning, and then have them mail it to you so you have their requirements in writing.

[Keluliana 0]

Thank you all for responding! (Love the dance, especially).

To Mischevious1: As far as my documentation, I just sat in front of the computer one day and typed out all of the diets I could possibly think of that I had ever been on. Then I organized them as best I could by the age I was when I went on it, how much I lost, and how long I was on it. I went all the way back to crash dieting at age 11/12 and included mentions of doctors who told me just to "get more exercise and cut calories." I printed it out and brought it to my initial consultation with the surgeon. Everyone in the surgeon's office was very impressed with it, and the psychologist said it was extremely helpful as well. Luckily the surgeon's office took care of sending everything to the insurance company, so I didn't have to do much petitioning myself, but I certainly didn't supply some of the more nit-picky records they said were a requirement. I didn't even talk to my regular doctor until I knew things would go smoothly regarding the surgery because she is also very conservative and I didn't want her trying to convince me to just 'give exercise another chance." Just pull together everything you have, including those journals, and then see if they ask for more. Good luck!

[Mischievous1 6]

Thanks will do! If they say no, then I will empower myself to go to Mexico!

[juliegeraci 7]

Congrats. You will loe being banded.

[maryrose 2]

Keluliana,

Congrats on your approval!

Don't worry about the 5 lbs. Seems every clinic is so different. Have you met with the dietition? From the beginning we were advised to go out and buy the Protein drinks, find one you like, and start substituting one meal a day with the Protein Drink and also keep a daily diary. They said this would help with the approval process. Believe me....once you know you need to check in and have your weight checked....you will lose the weight..there is something about having to be weighed and accountable...it sure is helping me. I have to keep a diary and show to the dietition. This is serious stuff...lol... I also had to do the "mushy" stage for a few days to show I knew what I was getting into.

I did get approved recently also...but just underwent knee surgery, so that threw me off a little, but will be scheduling surgery soon.

The Protein shakes really help a lot.

good luck..you will do fine...