Anthem Blue Cross PPO California - policy change?

[ChunkyCali 51]

Hello,
Looking for others that have Anthem Blue Cross PPO in California. At my initial visit with the surgeons office they instructed me to have 6 months of dietician visits. Anthem had sent me links to their policy document cg-surg-83 that (to my reading!) looked like 6 months wasn't required as of August 2020.

The policy states:

Documentation of all of the following:
Past participation in a weight loss program; and
Inadequate weight loss despite a committed attempt at conservative medical therapy (for example, comprehensive lifestyle interventions, including a combination of diet, exercise, and behavioral modifications); and

Also:

Revised 08/13/2020

Medical Policy & Technology Assessment Committee (MPTAC) review. Revised criteria requiring participation of at least 6 months in a weight reduction program. Revised not medically necessary indications to remove examples of devices which are no longer available. Updated Discussion and References sections. Reformatted Coding section.

I have all of my clearances except for another 2 months of dietician visits. What I'd like to do is ask my surgeons office to just submit to insurance now with the hopes that I will get surgery end of Feb/early March.

Has anyone got any recent experience I can draw on to help inform my decision and make my case!

[mattk53 124]

I also have Blue cross PPO and they only required three months where I filled out: How I was exercising, What I ate and how much weight I lost. Then I had to have my doctor sign it. Of course that's on top about 10 different test.