Long frustrating battle.

Well I have news...Dont know if its good or bad but I guess its something...After talking to the ppl at health plan of michigan I found out that I have to take place in a 6 month phone coaching program call Healthy roads..Its a bit of a joke really..Its like someone calling you on the phone asking how your diets going but not really doing anything for you.Then after that I have to complete at least 6 months of medical weight loss program..Ive seen ads for this but am skeptic as you still have to do it on your own.My major dilemma here is that  either I will lose weight on the program or at the end of the 1 yr period have the surgery.All well and good except you have to lose X amount of weight to on your own but not enough to be beneficial..Ive lost weight on my own before but then somehow gain everything back plus 10 lbs.Doesnt seem to matter what I eat ..im always hungry...Im afraid to lose the weight ..be denied for the surgery then gain it all back.Anyone else going through this ..please help.

Oh Healthy Roads...I've had to work with them for almost a year to keep a discount on our health insurance.  I chose to go with the nicotine cessation program, which got kind of annoying so I just started "forgetting" to be home for our appointment time...only keeping appointments that were required to keep the insurance discount.  In all honesty, HR is actually not a joke if you need someone to be accountable to and will be honest with them.  They do provide some good info as far as strategy and giving hints and tips....at least the nicotine cessation program did.  Give it a chance.  Don't give up on it just yet.

6 months of HR then 6 months of MWL?  You can't do them at the same time?  That sucks!  Sorry.  

I think they're just talking about a 6 month medically followed or provided weight loss program, could be weigh****chers if you want.  Doesn't have to be 'the' Medical Weight Loss Program.  I did weigh****chers and another one that Henry Ford referred me to.  Double check with Health Plan of Michigan.
Jan

The program medicaid pays for in my area is medical weight loss...Ive heard it does work for some ppl but Im a skeptic..Its pretty much diet I think and thats what I have a problem with...Sticking to a diet..Im always hungry and it doesnt matter what I eat.Hmm..well I guess Ill do this thier way and see what comes of it.Wish me luck.

Good luck.  Try buying some protein powder and making the shakes.  They seem to really satisfy hunger for me.

I have done medical weight loss diet and it works but you have to be vigilent.

You eat a combo of there foods and salads from the store.

It is high protein low carb, just do the program best you can and then see the surgeon.

Can you dot the phone call thing and the medical weight loss at the same time that way it will only take 6 months.

I'm not familiar with this insurance plan specifically.... but it doesn't sound out of the ordinary.  Most insurance companies (and even most surgeon's offices) require that you have gone through a documented weight loss program supervised by a physician.  "Medical Weight Loss" -- that doesn't necessarily mean the organization that has that name, it simply means a "medically supervised diet" and that can simply be seeing your PCP once a month for 6 months.

Many surgeons require that you lose a percentage of your weight before surgery.  5% or 10% is pretty common.  They want you to be as healthy as possible before you get on the operating table, and losing some weight will help you be healthier, shrink your liver, improve lung function (important when under anesthesia), etc. 

I personally had to go through a 12 month diet program to fulfil my insurance criteria.  I saw a nutritionist/trainer once a month for 12 months --- I went through that program based on a recommendation (referral) by my doctor, so it qualified as a medically supervised diet. 

Before you go any further, the first thing you need to do is call your insurance company back and get the exact criteria for surgical approval.  GET IT IN WRITING.  You don't want to rely on knowing this information based on a telephone conversation.... get it in black and white and know every single thing you have to do.  Then use that list as your checklist for getting things done.  And do as many things as possible simutaneously --- if you can do the 6 month medical supervised diet AND the 6 months Healthy Roads at the same time, then do it.  And while you're doing that 6 months of stuff, get your sleep study and psych eval and all the other tests you need.
Good luck
Pam