5 year weight history -EEEEEP HELP PANIC

Ok, so I'm an anxious person. I'll admit that. But CRRRRAAAAPPPPP!!! I am freaking out a little and my dr.'s office is busy with patients and won't talk to me to put my mind at ease.

I have been waiting on my old college health center to fax over a paper from 2005 proving my 5 year history of obesity. I have United Health Care and am getting the lap band. I don't know if the rules are you have to have 5 years at a BMI over 40 or only 35 or what... but anyway, this is what I've got:

2010 273 (but doesn't count cause we're in that year)
2009 266
2008 263
2007 266
2006 260
2005 244 !!!!! This is only a 39.4 BMI - so does this screw me over in terms of the five year history? 
What's worse is that I have records from 2004, 2003, 2002, etc where I was well in the 260+ range but I lost some weight that year and apparently only went into my dr. one time and happened to be at 244. 

I'm going to be so angry if I get denied because of my measly unsuccesful attempt to lose weight nearly 6 years ago.

Can anyone help reassure me this will be ok? 

Thanks!

Don't know too much about the strictness of United Healthcare, but why don't you have your doctor also include 2002, 2003 & 2004 (along with 2005 until 2010)? Can't hurt.  It shows a clear history of obesity and it shows that you lost weight, but not much and that you did not keep it off. In fact you gained more (I'm not trying to be hard on you here, I of course am in the same boat - I'm just saying things that I think will help you build your case.) Also, if you were weighed by any other doctor  in 2005 or maybe a weight loss program, perhaps you can investigate your weight at that time in 2005 and perhaps it's higher.

You might be able to put your mind at ease by calling UHC or going on their website and getting an outline of the specific requirements for approval on bariatric surgery. It's probably not 40 BMI but rather, history of obesity. 244 still shows that.

I think you'll be fine. Don't freak out yet!!! :)

Haha, thanks. I will definitely give my surgeon's office the other years going back as far as I have them and please... I don't take anything you say to be offensive! I've given a good honest try to every program out there and never lost more than... dunno... 20 or 30 lbs and then gained it back instantly, like literally in a month if I waver at all. These are the facts, I've been obese since I was 9 years old, maybe younger. Anyway, I think UHC's requierment is something like 5 years at BMI 40+ or 35+ if there's a comorbidity. Fingers crossed PCOS counts enough to squeeze me that 0.6 BMI points I need.

Thanks for your support :)

Did UHC tell you about this requirement or your surgeon's office? Both me and my husband had our surgery through UHC and they did NOT require the 5 year diet history. My plan is the Choice Plus PPO.

At the time my surgeon's office asked me the 5 years diet history, meanwhile the UHC only wanted the 6 months physician's supervised diet and psych evaluation.

Please make sure you call UHC directly and find out their requirements. Many times the bariatric centers have a one-for-all checklist of requirements that not necessarily is matching the latest changes of our insurance companies.

UHC usually assign a nurse coordinator for their bariatric patients. Call her and ask what documentation they're looking for.

Hi, thanks. It was my surgeon's office who told me but it's not actually a 5 year diet history, just documentation of my weight for the past 5 years. I do also have to have the 6 month supervised diet, which I've completed and my dr. is filling out the paperwork for now.

I know what you're talking about with the nurse coordinator but I called that number and was told I was not enrolled in that program (my employer had not elected it) and I had to do everything through UHC Care Coordination. When I called them they wouldn't tell me anything, just said to go to the surgeon and they'd take care of it all. So frustrating. Whatever... I guess the worst case scenario is I have to wait a few more months into 2010 so my 2006-2010 weights count.

I don't think you're going to have an issue.  39 is still an obese BMI even though it's not the 40 they require for surgery.  I sincerely doubt they will deny you based on that.

PCOS is considered a comorbidty and most insurance companies will accept 35 with a comorbidty.� My sister-in-law UHC and she was approved with a BMI of 36.3 and a comorbidty. She had RNY in October.

Good luck!