thanks for Prayers and info

I saw my regular Dr today she told me in order to have the surgery I need to have at least 6 months of pass documented weight loss. Ive tried slim fast, Atkins diet,and many more. I did'nt have money to try Jenny Craig and all the other expensive places. Ive tryed exercise, over the counter diet pills,and many diets for more than six months, I've been battling weight loss for 20yrs. Dose anyone have any feed back on this. PS Thanks for the prayer. Im feeling alot better. Not depress any more Anna

Anna Most Insurance companies want a Doctor Supiervised Diet program as yours seems to want 6 Months worth, not all of the other document programs such as Weigh****cher's which I had 18 months worth. What insurance do you have. You need to call and clarify what is needed through them. If possible get it in writing or a copy. A Doctor needs to document in your records for 6 months what type of diet your doing, your progression, your weigh-in each time and what your going to do to change next. These have to be consecitively done No skipping a month. Good luck, we've been there. It's just your turn. Don't get discouraged & stay positively moving forward. It's just to show the insurance company you'll stay with a program. Mike

Anna- The past weight loss requirement varies from surgeon to surgeon and insurance company to insurance company. Some want a physician supervised program and some simply want a diet history. If they (either your surgeon or your insurance company) want a physician supervised program then you will have to go to your doctor (PCP or surgeon) and get weighed and discuss your weight loss attempts for however long they want (generally six months to a year although some are only three months). Some insurance companies will allow you to do your weigh-ins with a registered nutritionist as long as a physician is supervising. If the physician supervised program is what they want -- then nothing else will take its place. You will have to do the time and see the doc. If however, they are simply looking for a diet history, then write down your diet history and see if it will suffice. You also need to be clear on if your PCP was saying SHE wanted this before she would refer you for surgery or it was a requirement of the surgeon or the insurance company. Also bear in mind just because someone may have the same insurance company, that does not mean they have the same policy requirements as your plan. So it is important that you get the requirements straight from the insurance company. If they tell you that you will have to go through a physician supervised weight loss program, be sure you ask them for specifics. Make the insurance company explain exactly what they will be looking for when assessing that requirement. Even if you have to do a physician supervised diet I think it is a good idea to put together your diet and weight loss history. If you will send me an email (so I can send you an attachment) I will send you a form that I have. It is a simple form that was in a surgeon's info packet. Good luck- Red