Found out today that I have to wait 2 years

I have been crying all day, my Dr couldn't write a letter for supervised dietary failures because there was not enough medical records to back it up, so I called Dr Baker's office and they said that they could not do the surgery because Medicare requires supervised diet over 2 years and that to make sure I go to my Dr every month for diet only and follow the diets he gives me and in 2 years I can reapply. Yeah it is a big let down, and I was totally pumped up for the surgery and then just had a bomb dropped on me. But I am optimistic and am gonna make sure I see him every month and I know you all will be here and supportive, and I plan to hang around here while I do my diets and before I know it 2 years will have passed and I will get to have the surgery.

I am so sorry. Maybe in 2 yrs. you won't need the surgery better yet look at it that way. I am truly sorry!

I am so sorry that you couldn't proceed with the surgery at this time. My insurance, AETNA, said the same thing but my surgeon went to bat with for me because of all the other problems I had. It took her one phone call for about 30 to 45 minute conversation and they finally relented. I had not been under a doctors supervised diet plan but I had used the Merida and the phen phen that he had records of. So with that argument she went to work and they finally conceded. I had my surger 5/26/04 and I've lost 110 pounds. I've stablized with the weight loss and very happy at 135 pounds so I wish you best of luck. Hang in there! Glenn Gay Springdale

This is what Dr. Baker's office told me too. However, I called another surgeon and they said that Medicare requires 1 yr of supervised diet. So, that makes me wonder which one it actually is? I also wonder if your surgeon goes to bat for ya, like one member here just stated...if Medicare would go ahead and approve it? good luck.. Lisa

Well, before I applied for Gastric Bypass I called Medicare myself and asked them what exactly did they need to approve this surgery, and the first few people didn't really know, but finally talked to someone who knew what the surgery was and they told me all they needed was "A Letter of Medical Necessity" from my Dr. And then I asked how many years did they need weightloss attempts on my medical record and she said as long as it was medically necessary then I didn't need any. But Dr Baker's office and my Dr tell me otherwise. Last week I saw a new Dr in town, decided if I had to wait 2 years and diet meanwhile then I was going to have separate Dr's, one for weightloss only and then my regular Dr for my health problems. The new Dr told me that as long as I was taking certain meds that I am on, then no diet was gonna help, and I needed to call every surgeon in Arkansas until I found one who would do the surgery on me, that waiting 2 years was out of the question. I am gonna call medicare this week and talk to them about this.

Thank you for this info. I am going to call Medicare myself, again. I did call once and the girl had no idea what i was even talking about. So I will call and keep asking to speak to someone who knows. I can certainly get that Letter from my doctor who has been trying to get me to do this for many yrs. Then I will call other surgeons in AR or TN...something close enough that I can get there easily. Lisa

i was told the same thing then i found a doctor who went to bat for me ...DR. JAMES CLAY WELLBORN. he is the best !!!! very nice and has a great bed side manner. good luck ...i was at 372 now im 268 ...had surgery january 7th , 2005 ...i feel GREAT!!!!

Did you have Medicare? I will call Dr Wellborn's office Monday or Tuesday and see what they have to say.