did you have to lose some weight in order to be approved by insurance?

CheriCline · May 8, 2007

I am just wondering how much weight you lost before your surgery? I have to see a doctor for a year prior to the surgery being approved by insurance. I was told that they want me to lose some weight to "show" I can lose weight. I have gone down ten pounds and then up six and then stayed the same. I don't want to lose too little or too much ya know. Because if I lose too much I won't qualify. I am at 300 and can't lose too much for my BMI to fall below the required BMI. How much did you lose while waiting to get approved by insurance? Did you lose any weight in the year that you had to see the doctor? I have blue cross blue shield

Cheri

WASaBubbleButt · May 8, 2007

How tall are you?

May 8, 2007

As far as I know Anthem BCBS didn't have a reqirement of "how much" to lose in my process, I just had to document that I had attempted weight loss for a period of 6 months or more. I lost about 20lbs in the 6 months between when I started the process and when I had the surgery. It may be your surgeon who has a weight loss requirement. In my case the weight loss doctor I had seen in that 6 month period wanted me to lose 15lbs to "prove" I could get serious about lifestyle changes.

But I agree at 300lbs you'd have to be over 6 feet tall to worry about falling under the 40bmi most insurances use as the benchmark (with no co-morbidities)

badonkadonkbutt · May 8, 2007

I have to lose 5% of my total weight in order to submit to insurance, so I have to lose 13lbs. It is tough......I am down 5lbs in about a month and have until the end of June to lose the other 8lbs so that I can submit to insurance in July and have surgery in August. I would call and ask them if there is a specific amount they want you to lose. From what I understand, if there isn't, they just want to see that you are able to stick to some diet and form of exercise and not gain weight to show that you can adhere to the guidelines after surgery.

Daisalana · May 8, 2007

Definitely call and ask them. It could be different from anything someone could tell you here, and you don't want to put it off because you were wrong.. or stress and find out you didn't have to lose weight.