Doc wont give me a referral
I am seriously considering WLS, but my doctor is not willing to listen to me when I even bring it up. She believes everything can be done by eating right and working out everyday. Which I know eating right and having an active lifestyle helps, it's been 2 years of those 2 things, and not much of a difference. I have lost inches, but no significant weight loss.
What do I do if my doc refuses to refer me?
find a new pcp who will listen
Find a new doctor, assuming you meet the insurance qualifications and the surgery is safe for you-
Surgeon: Chengelis Surgery on 12/19/2011 A little less carb eating compared to my weight loss phase loose sleever here!
1Mo: -21 2Mo: -16 3Mo: -12 4MO - 13 5MO: -11 6MO: -10 7MO: -10.3 8MO: -6 Goal in 8 months 4 days!! 6' 2'' EWL 103% Starting size 28 or 4x (tight) now size 12 or large, shoe size 12 w to 10.5 150+ pounds lost
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I would first find a weight loss clinic and find out if your insurance covers it ... I think most places offer free informational seminars. Not only can they offer advice on dealing with your insurance but they might be able to recommend you to a doctor that is better at dealing with obesity. Also they might be able to start you on your 6 monthly visits with a nutritionist. Because the doctor you have isn't listening and is stuck in his own personal beliefs and ignoring your needs.
If you fall down you just have to get back up.
if you haven't already, make sure to call your insurance company and find out if they cover WLS and what the requirements are. It's always good to have that information first!
VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)
Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170
TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)
if you haven't already, make sure to call your insurance company and find out if they cover WLS and what the requirements are. It's always good to have that information first!
I agree with Gwen on this. A lot of employers who provide insurance DO NOT pay for coverage of weight loss surgery. Get this info first before you start this battle. You could possibly be looking at self-pay.
"...This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away, to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. What he was doing..."
Rachel, PMHNP-BC
HW-271 SW-260 LW(2009)-144 ~ Retread: HW-241 CW-190 GW-150
Here's a totally tangential comment that really weirds me out. The partner I have insurance through has been with the same company for a while, but that company has gone through mergers and renames and all sorts of other things in the last 10 years. Every time this happens, new insurance. "Yay." I'm not 100% sure, but I'm about 70% sure that I managed to decide I wanted WLS and have it during about a 18 month window when insurance covered it and that the previous and following insurance plans DIDN'T cover it. Which is crazy to me to think about.
Our current insurance covers NOTHING relating to weight loss. Which is horrible and completely nonsensical. I know I've saved my insurance company a ton of money by losing weight.
VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)
Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170
TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)
It's pretty annoying how some insurance companies work. Mine will pay for everything except the actual surgery/hospital stay. It covers all my appointments, testing, preop tests etc but I have to pay for the surgery. My medications run the insurance company over $2000 a month, it will be very cost effective for them for me to lose the wait. I still don't understand but at least I only have to pay for the surgery.
It drives me nuts... so much so I serve on the Obesity Action Coalition Board of Directors because I'm so ticked about it... I too saved my insurance company $$$$$... and I didn't have the more costly obesity related illnesses like diabetes... I can't imagine how much of a savings that is to have resolved.
I used to think it was a ROI issue... in the US we change jobs, insurance plans frequently so individually the ROI might not be recognized but overall it has to be... IMHO it's more of a weight bias issue... because globally the NHS National Health Service in the UK, and Health Canada are the same... and you are covered from cradle to the grave... Grrrr... it's "you did it to yourself" ridiculous weight bias... even though... what disease or injury does someone not sort of contribute to?! Even accidents frankly.
OK LOL jumping off the soap box ;)
