When is BMI Determined for Approval?

When is BMI determined for approval?  Is it before you start your 6 month diet or just prior to surgery?  I am just over 40.

Mine was determined by my weight on date of my initial consult w/ the wls surgeon.  That's the weight they sent to Cinga.,

Ask your surgeon's office if you want to know for sure.

I think many use the date of initial consult.  The theory is that it is not fair to penalize those who are trying to lose pre surgery.  Taking pre surgery weight loss into consideration might mean that some people would no longer qualify for the surgery.

Consult with my physician or the surgeon?  My insurance doesn't kick in until January but I have started my 6 month diet and support group to get it out of the way.  I wonder if they would go by my PCP visit or the surgeons?  I guess I need to find out.

I would go see a surgeon now...so you can interview them, get a feel for them, start working with the office staff now.  The insurance will cover the office visit under your regular co-pay now.  It's only a surgical consult, and billed as such.

The surgeon is your best bet.

At the beginning of my 6 month program for the insurance company, I was told that if my BMI dropped below 40 during that time that I would no longer qualify for the surgery.  They wouldn't even assign a nurse case manager to me until my primary care physician sent them verification of my BMI.  Then they required a monthy statement from her.

Good Luck!