finally found the MASS board! Tufts Insurance ??

Thanks George - yes Newton Wellesley has a series of support group meetings every month, and that is part of why I chose their program.  I very much wanted support, a comprehensive program and one that is convenient for me to get to (since if it's too hard to go, I might not!)

 Tufts 6 month program is not a weight loss program, it's a behavior modification program, so they just take it on faith that you are telling the truth.  They also send you some educational material.  It's all stuff a surgeon would tell you, but whatever, they give me the hoop, i'm jumping through.

I  can homestly tell you that I hated Tufts when it came time to get my surgery,, they instilled the "12 month program" the day before I was to get my surgery date. This was after going through a very similar program at UMass. I was denied because I did not go through their 12 month behavior modification program. I was livid, especially because they changed their requirements AFTER I had pre-approval in place.

I fought Tufts, and got denied twice! I ended up fighting it to the state board of appeals, and won my appeal.  weeks later, I had my surgery, and have not looked back.

Now I am sure I will need to fight them to get my plastics. I need Panniulectomy, thighs, and batwings taken care of. I hope at least the panni is covered, because I keep getting yeast infections under my panni.

Dawn

I just had the RNY and had to do the I Can Change program. Honestly it is fairly painless... You get some reading materials and a workbook... and you talk to a counsellor via phone meetings every couple of weeks. My counsellor was soo sooo nice and if they let you request one I would highly recommend her... Her name was Danielle Genenz. A lot of people complain about the program because they just don't want to wait. But I actually got stuff out of it, it was very educational and I just decided to make the best out of it. I think the whole point is that they want you to be sure and make sure you have researched all your options. I will say I kept the surgery talk to the minimum because I didn't really feel like risking have them try to talk me out of it. :) But I say make the best of it... it goes by fast and you will be at the surgery before you know it. I haven't heard that anyone is refused after they participate in the whole program... so finishing means you graduate! Also, the approval after was so fast... I did all the work with the drs while I was doing the 6 months.... and I finished the program on a Friday and had the surgery the following Friday. Good Luck!