Insurance woes

I am very disappointed today. I have chosen a surgeon, done all of my pre-op work and today I heard back from my insurance and they want 5 years of medical proof I have worked with a doctor to lose weight. I have been dieting of and on (lose 25, gain 30, lose 75, gain 40) for over 10 years. I have done Weigh****chers, South Beach, NutraSystem, Maker's Diet, Adkins. I have told my doctor when I lose or gain, but haven't per se done it under my doctor's supervision. Has anyone else ran into this problem with their insurance? I have Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

That is common with all insurances. My surgeon's office gave me a form to go over with my doctor. We filled it out together it included my weight loss history. Then he signed it and sent it back to the surgeon. There ya go medical proof.

Five YEARS?  6-9 months is a common time frame for insurance companies to require but five years is excessive.  Would your insurance company accept your doctor's statement that you have attempted to lose weight various ways for the past few years?  If you obtained documentation from WW and NutraSystem would that suffice for some of their requirement? 

Mine was five years. I have heard of anywhere from three to five with many insurances.They need to know you failed on your own.

My insurer accepted a letter from my PCP setting forth my weight history.  How often do you generally see your PCP?  Do you discuss weight with him, and have you told him about your attempts to lose weight?  Anything he can include would be helpful.

Good luck.

I had to have my doc sign that I had been over weight and trying to lose weight for 5 yrs but only had to do a 6 mos doc supervised diet attempt. Had to see the doc once a month for 6 mos and send the notes from each visit to the insurance.

I have Blue Cross of California, and they didn't ask for much at all. I just needed one visit to a nutritionist, and one psych eval, and that was it. I don't know what all my Dr told them on my behalf, but these are the only things I had to do. I started the process in late October and just got my surgery date confirmed today. I wish you the best of luck and will be praying that you receive favor on your appeal.

That is a long time, but as everyone has said list every diet you have been on.  Touch base with your PCP and they can acknowledge all the diets you were on and that they did not work.  Otherwise you would not still weight what you do.  I went through all my book shelves and boxes and listed every diet I had been on.  Sad but true, there were a ton.

Search this forum for a sample letter of medical necessity or ask your surgeon's office for it. In the letter it provides the needed information for your insurance. It's not uncommon that they ask for it. But you'll be good once you get the letter. ...good luck