What did you do for your supervised diet pre-insurance approval?

I am seeing my doctor every month to fulfill my insurance requirement of 6 months of monthly supervised weight loss attempts, but I am hearing more and more people who say that they did optifast or other groups--not their PCP.  Now I am beginning to wonder if seeing my doctor is enough.  I have also seen a nutritionist once.  My doctor has never mentioned needing more--but I would love to hear assurance from others that they also only saw their doctor.

Maddie,  Have you called your insurance to see what they require? i havent been to see a surgeon yet  to see what they require them selves . But bc/bs of il requires I have 5 yrs of weight documented  at least 1 a yr.  6 months of diet, nut therapy ,pysh eval, and some sort of diet program whatever the dr wants to do on that one.

Wow..we're ahead of Illinois??? Indiana law states that the insurance can require up to 6 months of supervised dieting. No more 18 months! This came effective June 2006. I think it's time Illinois took some steps to get their people healthier too! I KNOW there's obese folks there too (shoot, I'm related to a few of them!). Sherri

Yep--that is exactly what my insurance requires--and the diet program my doctor chose is just following the American Diabetes Association diet--I just hope that is enough!!

I went to my PCP for my six months, too. My ins wanted documentation that we discussed diet AND exercise each month. I was on a diet of 1800 calories a day, and walking atleast 3x a week. 

I just went to my PCP and was on a modified Atkins...but I did that a couple of years ago before I even thought of WLS.  was enough for my insurance co. along with the 5 years of showing I was obese.

Because I had been trying for YEARS already to loose weight withhout sucess.. I just showed them proof of my attempts with reciepts to prove it... I had gone to Dr Piatecks weight loss clinic for 18 months and spent over 3000.00, I had documentation of Weigh****chers AND my dr had some weights... I didnt have to go thru the  supervised diet just because I had decided surgery was MY only answer.. Showing them proof was enough from them... (I have Anthem) Linda Kay

My insurance company required 6 months of medically-supervised weight loss program, complete with exercise and mental health components.  I went to my doctor's office every other week to get weighed, saw the dietician/nutritionist at the St. Francis Weight Loss Center once a month, went to Curves three times a week, and went to the monthly support group meetings sponsored by the Weight Loss Center. So, I had documentation from my doctor (PCP) with my bi-weekly weigh-ins, documentation from the St. Francis Weight Loss Center that I had monthly appointments with the dietician and went to the support group meetings, and documentation from Curves of my attendance there. With all that documentation, my approval was swift. Hope this is helpful.  You just need to find out exactly what it is your insurance company requires and then just do it. All the best, Donna

I am lucky that my insurance does not require any medically supervised weight management program prior to approval.  I have United Medical Resources.  They base their approvals on weight, bmi, height, and your pcp request.  Thats it! Good luck with your requirements!

also my insurance required me to do 18 months supervised visits with a dietician.  She changed my eating style and amounts and helped me get in the right direction.  In the course of 18 months I lost 33.2 pounds. That was great on my end but i Needed surgery to make it for the long haul.  You need to call your insurance company ans she what their requirements are and go by those guidelines.  They are the ones who get you to the final doctor approval.  Good luck.  Good things come to those that weight.  Look I finally received my surgery.  Don't regret the weight at all.