I CAN'T GET MY PCP TO GIVE ME A MED.NESS. FOR GREATWEST PPO

I AM HAVING A BIG PROBLEM WITH MY DR SHE  WILL NOT GIVE ME A LETTER OF NESS. FOR MY INSURANCE COMPANY I HAVE TRIED TO EDUCATE HER I HAVE DONE WHAT I NEED  TO GET HER TO OK ME BUT SHE WON'T . MY CARDIOLOGIST SAID HE WOULD GIVE ME A CLEARANC BUT IT WAS UP TO MY PCP TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY MY THING IS IF I GO TO ANOTHER DR THEY DO NOT KNOW THE MEDICAL HISTORY AND THEY MAY EVEN REFUSE A LETTER! THIS IS THE ONLY THING I AM LACKING  FOR PRE APPROVAL

If I were you, I'd gather up a copy of my records from my current PCP's office and go hunting for another one.  He/she is obviously uninformed and doesn't care to be enlightened on the subject. 

my letter of med nes. came from my indocrinologist and the ins co never said anything i was approved without any prolbems. i knew that my pcp was against wls. so i went with all my other dr

I too had a PCP *****fused the letter. He stated it would put him at "liability" in some way.  I can understand the fear of liability in the medical field. I gathered up my medical records from him in full and spoke with my surgeon *****ferred me to a PCP down the hall from him and I found myself a new PCP and I really like him.  My new PCP wanted me to come in for a consultation and physical and to "fix" any problems I had before writing my letter.  We got my BP under control, got the asthma in check, started a minor walking program and viola, letter for the insurance followed. Good luck to you...you will make it happen and it will be okay! Pamela

Your surgeon can also submit for approval for you...  mine did.... and the approval was sent to my PCP... 

Many insurance companies won't accept that...surgeons don't have our history...my insurance required a letter from my PCP, not any sort of substitute. In most cases, the surgeon's office submits the packet to insurance for approval, but that's different than being able to write the letter of necessity. Nancy

A letter of necessity can be written by several different doctors... it is not always mandated that it come ONLY from the PCP... but, there a some insurance companies who will only accept a request for approval if it INCLUDES one from a PCP.. or a letter that '"necessity for weight reduction (even if it doesn't specifically say WLS)".... 

THANK 'S TO ALL OF YOU I WILL TRY TO GET ANOTHER DR. ASAP . THE GOOD THING IS I DO HAVE A COPY OF ALL MY MEDICAL RECORDS. MY SLEEP STUDY DONE MY NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION AND PSYCH. EVALUATION DONE ! HOPEFUL YOU GUYS WILL SHE ME POSTING ABOUT A SURGERY DATE SOON  .  HAS ANY OF YOU HAD  PLASTIC SURGERY COVER AFTER SURGERY. 

Ask your surgeon what PCP works with him regularly.  That is what I did and he gave a letter on the first visit!!

Based on what kind of ins you have, you might not need anything from your pcp.  I have a ppo and didnt need 1) a referral to see the surgeon or 2) any letters of medical necessity from anyone but my surgeon.