help!!

Hi my name is Joni and i am new... I just found out my insurance (great west) requires 3 years of documented Diet attemps (not Dr. Suprivised). Any suggestions i have belong to everything from W.W to Jenny Craig but never for an extended anount of time, any suggestions??? joni

Hi Joni, Does your insurance co. say that your diet attempts have to be consecutive? If not, I would recommend making copies of every diet book you have purchase; any documentation from WW, Jenny Craig, ect.; copy the front of every exercise video; and any nutritional information you have received. Basically, flood them with documentation of everything you have tried over the past three years related to weight loss. Also, write a personal letter explaining the diet attempts you have documentation for and also the ones that you don't. My insurance just denied me because they said I did not have my 6 month physician supervised program. I had a more comprehensive program through my MSW counselor but I think they were looking for any reason to deny me. I am still fighting them on it though. Good luck with your insurance company. Take care, Sandi

Joni, it's hard to believe an insurance company would require anything as ridiculous as 3 years of documented diet attemps. First of all if it's not supervised by a doctor you could have been doing most anything. I wouldn't worry about it not being for an extended period of time, if you had dieted for 3 years consequtively, you probably wouldn't be wanting the WLS! It sounds like a paper exercise to me and a way to put you off.... You would think they would want to know how long you have been dieting over your lifetime, and health issues from being overweight. Also how much overweight for what period of time.... You may want to talk to your doctor's office and the person that handles these insurance companies. She may have some insight for you, she talks to these intelligent people everyday. (kidding about the intelligent part).... Hope you get somewhere, you may have to be very determined with this insurance company, or find a new one. CaroleM