Question on 6 month diet and exercise

Hi everyone... I had a question concerning the 6 months of diet and exercise that is required. I'm with Aetna and slowly starting things. I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago and I got an approval to see Dr. Fangs office and go to the seminar. Now, my question is, I know I have to go to the doctor and follow up with her for 6 months. My friend said she didn't have to really do anything except go to her monthly visits with her doctor and tell her that she was trying to loose weight and exercise more. Since my seminar and consult with Dr. Fang isn't until the end of next month, I should still go to my regular doctor for my second visit and talk to her in the middle of the month, shouldn't I ? Since i'm really not sure what I have to prove, i thought I would keep track of exercise time and stuff like that. Any idea's or suggestions? I'm slowly getting more motivated about getting the surgery done. I read the message board and people's profiles and I see what a difference it has made in so many lives. Thanks for the great informative information!

Lisa, Hi there, I didn't have to do the 6 month thing, but that sonds like a great idea to keep going to your PCP in the meantime! This is a great site, with lots of great info! Good luck to you on your journey! Sarah

Hi Lisa, Keep going to those Pcp appointments no matter what else is going on. Aetna won't excuse any skipped months at all and will just have you start over...or at least add the balance of months to equal six. ..... There are some programs that are approved by Aetna to do 3 month supervised diet/nutrition consults vs the six. I helped a gal today get started with her 3 month plan at Dr. Simpson's office but six is standard everywhere else! ... Some people get so discouraged with the long six month wait but just hang in there! If you have a couple of months knocked off before you even get in to see Dr. Fang then you'll be close to that finish line! Good luck! Joycts

I had a few skipped months with going to my PCP, and even though I have a different insurance company, the wanted six CONSECUTIVE visits. It was hell having to do like three extra months but it was my own fault. I had a little 'trick' and that was, work my appointments so they were the first week of each month.. that way the requirement was done and my files would be submitted to the insurance company a couple weeks earlier if I had kept my mid/late in the month appointments. Make sure you go to your PCP and tell her what is required and what your insurance company wants to here... like, any type of diet your PCP wants you to do, if he/she prescribes a pill, and each month get your weight down on your chart and talk about it with your doctor. You can never be too sure. And go to the same doctor for the same 6 consecutive weeks... most insurance companies will say it has to be 6 months of the same doctor. good luck -Jess

Every insurance company is different in what they require. Mine has some very specific criteria as to what the 6 mo. diet must include. It took me 8 phone calls, 4 e-mails and a threat that if they wouldn't give me the document, then I wanted in writing an explanation as to why they felt they legally could withhold it, but I finally received a copy of their prior authorization criteria. You need to talk with your insurance folks and find out more specifically what they require.