My Cover letter (putting it out there)

Here is the cover letter I am considering submitting to my insurance company. I am removed some personal information so you guys can't stalk me (HA! HA!) I compiled this by sampling from various sources (Including our very own fabulous Sherri Johnson) and adding my own information. Any Feed back is much appreciated!! 06/07/2006 Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield P.O. Box 6220 Indianapolis, IN 46206-6220 Re: Samantha Fox ID# XXXXXXXXXXX Dear Anthem Personnel, Please find enclosed paperwork concerning my personal health for the purpose of requesting approval for gastric bypass surgery due to morbid obesity. I have organized the paperwork in the following categories: Letters from physician, surgeon, psychologist as well as paperwork from the bariatric center and Anthem, medical records from my family physicians, and my own personal records in regards to weight loss and exercise. I am asking for your assistance in obtaining weight-loss surgery. It is difficult and embarrassing for me yet I know and feel that my health has and continues to deteriorate because of my obesity. As a result of my obesity, insurance has had to pay for a multitude of office visits, testing, medication etc. My continued obesity will result in even more costs to Anthem. I do not want the surgery just so I can look great. I need it for health reasons, as you can see by the enclosed paperwork. I ask that you pre-approve this surgery so that I can become a healthy, productive person once again. Thank you very much for your consideration. If further information is required to assist in your consideration, please contact me at any of the numbers listed below, however, my cell phone is usually the best way to contact me without receiving an answering machine or voicemail. Sincerely, Samantha K. Fox Home phone: XXX XXX XXXX Cell phone: XXX XXX XXXX Work phone: XXX XXX XXXX

Coverletter sounds very professional.. Darn, You left out all the info I needed to stalk you!! And I was looking so forward to it to... In my letter I was a little more in detail. Remembering there are actual human beings reading these. The Drs. making the decision need it spelled out to them.. I told them, I have damaged my knee and can not walk without the use of my cane, and the longer this weight I am carring sits on my knee the faster is it wearing out. My heart is under so much stress I have chest pains and have had to visit the emergancy room and have had to spend 4 days in the hospital for irrregular heart beats. On a more personal level I would love to live long enough to watch my grandchildren grow and to actually be able to play on the floor with them. As it is I can only watch from the couch and have them come to me. I told them I have gone to the weigh****chers meetings and said :Hi I am Linda and I am fat.." I have earned the pins for loosing weight and gotten my 5 pound ribbons.. and I have gained it back again.. I went to Dr Piatek and gotten the high 5 for loosing 5 pounds and taken all the adipex and tenuate faithfully.. speeded up my heartrate, numbed my brain from rational thinking on speed the drs have given and tried everything over the counter that has done more harm then good. and could have potentially killed me. By the way I can now sit on the floor with the girls, I can run up and down the yard with them, look half way decent in a bathingsuit.. (as long as I stay underwater) Good luck with the approval if you have all your ducks in a row and have proven to them you have tried.. shown them how you have attempted...and PRAYED.. you should be fine. I have anthem too.. Linda

do you have a list of meds you are on and the reason you are taking them? it is such a hard call, as no idea what they read or do not read...like will the cover letter take care of it? or do they even read the cover letter? heck do they even look at the medical records..as i have seen some have everything and still denied and then i have seen someone else not have much of anything and be approved...the luck of the draw...LOL... keep us posted....

Does your insurance require a personal cover letter? Just wondered... I didn't even think about a cover letter or even including a personal statement. I let my PCP, surgeon, and medical history do all my work. Did anyone else do a cover letter?

I guess being an Administrative Assistant as well as anal-retentive I wanted to put one on there to come across as more professional as well as clarify some of the information in the packet. It might not be necessary but I still wanted to do it for my piece of mind. Sam

Sam, Looks good...but I would include a list of your co-moridiities. Was there anything you felt needed to be expounded on (such as I did for the psyche eval)? I used the cover sheet as a way of explaining further what might not be clear from any other source in the packet. Sherri

I remember about your psych evaluation mess. There was nothing that really needed to be explained in reference to the doctor's paper work. The only things I thought about doing to it were making it more personal like Linda said and explaining why I don't have 18 months of weights (Over the past 18 months I have graduated college and begun a career, old insurance didn't cover the treatment of obesity and with the new job can't afford the time off of work and money to go to the Dr. every month) but I wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Any thoughts? Sam

Sam, You may want to try this spin instead: From 200_ to 2006, I worked at ________ while going to college. ______ did not offer benefits to afford my going regularly to a physician. Therefore, I stayed diligently on __________ (weigh****chers or whatever) from _______ to _______. I graduated May 2006. I am now employed at ________. I would shy away from saying '18 months' since that is no longer the legal requirement. I would also avoid saying 'I couldn't because'. To them, they may interpret that as you making excuses for not doing it. Instead, as above, say what you did do. You did graduate, you did work while going to school. Both of these show determination at achieving your goals. Say what you did do independently. They may still require you to do 6 months of a physician's diet, but I wouldn't point it out and say 'lookie what I didn't do'. I would include any co-morbities that you have right now as well as concerns for getting others (like diabetes, etc) Just a suggestion...I write (and read) WAY too many technical reports at work! LOL! Sherri