5 yr Weight Loss History?!?!?!

Ok! So I was able to get my answers today on the requirements with Banner Health Plan.  Turns out that even though I don't have the insurance yet, they have a hotline set up to ask ?'s like mine!  So, now I know what I need to do.  It seems a little overwhelming......ok, it seems a lot overwhelming!  1) BMI of 40 or higher---Check (I am 42.9 and climbing.) 2) CoPay of $5000---Check (Thank God for a good income tax return!) 3) Ages of 18-65---Check (34 yrs old) 4) Psych Eval w/Clearance---Seems easy enough.  I have the name and # of the person my brother went through.  Make a December appt, so that clearance is obtained in plenty of time.  Get copy of report and take it with me.   I am not overwhelmed or frightened yet!  I can handle all of that.  Its the rest. 5) 6 months of faithful weight loss attempt w/loss of less than 2 BMI---Ok, I have seen my PCP recently. I will go again next month and ask for pills.  Try to follow an at home weigh****chers program.  I can't afford a health club like they mentioned or going to a pool.  I have a torn ACL in my left knee that needs repair so most excercise is very hard.  I can walk daily and document on my own.  Does anyone think that counts? Then I will go monthly to doctor for the weigh ins.  This will hopefully cut it.  The person I spoke with made it seem easy, but then it sounded like I needed to be on an expensive weight loss program and I can't do that.  It has to be stuff done at home. For myself I should write down a food journal, but should I submit that to them too? Or just monthly weigh ins, excercise journal, and type of plan? Feeling a little overwhelmed now......yikes 6) Any documented weight loss attempts.---I have an old weigh****chers journal, but it only has a few weigh ins.  I no longer have the ones from before that, and I don't think WW keeps anything in their records. Does anyone know? I joined Jenny Craigs once before too, and I may be able to get something from them.  I know they keep files on hand, just don't know for how long.  Thats more stress for me again....what if I can't find it. What if I have no real documentation of a weight loss history????? 7) 5 yrs or more of a weight history---UGH!!! I avoid doctors.  Don't use the same doctors often! I can get several weights from this year.  Easy. Last year--Old WW papers.  2006-I was pregnant, and can get weight after pregnancy.  2005-Not sure who or where I was seen.  2004-More of the same.  What if I can't find those lost years!!!!!   I don't want to be denied this.  I have it so set in my head that I can do x-y-and z, and be approved at the beginning of the year and having surgery first part of March.  Has anyone else had to get this information and been denied for not having it?????? This is so important to me and just looking for words of wisdom from the people who have been there done that!  Sorry this is so long I guess I needed to vent.  I am part excited knowing what I need, and part shaking in fear because I don't know what I can get.  The thing I have on my side is time.  I just need everything together by the end of December so that January 1st roles I can have everything submitted! Ok.  Again thanks for listening and sorry so long!!!! Samantha

The five years of documented weight loss is a weird one for me.  Get what information you can. If you have had a gym membership try to get proof of that etc. The 5 years of doctors...your insurance can provide you with copies in most cases.  If not, collect what you can and do what I did and write a VERY BRIEF letter telling them that you have exhausted all attempts to collect all medical information.  That you solemnly swear that you have exhausted all efforts to obtain any and all information available.  Your doctors office will also help you meet your criteria and have a ton of resources for you.  I know Scottsdale Bariatric is great with this. Lnz

I work for banner, but don't have their insurance, my friend opened a flex spending act for gastric bypass and it lets you take out up to $5,000.00 per year. Good luck! Marie

Hi. motiv6ted, I live just over the "river" in Youngtown. I'm working on insurance approval, too. I'm, hopefully, almost finished and hope that SBC has everything I need by sometime next week. I have BC/BS. I need a bunch of what you need. I'd guess if you have the dates that you did WW-how come nobody spells out weigh****chers, everyone uses **** like it's a bad word-do they charge you for using it-damned if i'll pay-Jenny Craig, etc. I didn't have anything like that. I made a full hearted effort in 04-05 and have kept most of that weight off-depending on when you weigh me. Scottsdale told me to write a letter explaining my attempts and i have a bunch of doctor's visits during that time if they get real picky plus I'll just march my huge ass into someone's office at BC/BS and have a little talk. not really. well, hopefully not. i finally communicated with my old drs. office in PA for weights and I have my doc. in AZ who wrote a letter of medical necessity for me (my obgyn did, too). I needed to do behavior mod. with a psych which was a requirement of SBCs psych which has been a good thing. it is a lot and it seems overwhelming but everyone here and at 3fatchicks WLS forum says it's a long process but stick with it. i figure if i can't do what's needed to get the surgery, i probably wouldn't do well after the surgery as far as sticking with the plan. do you have a surgeon yet? when you chose one, her/his office should be able to cheerfully help you wade through the insurance muck. I don't know what I need for a co-pay yet. gotta look that one up. well, her's a glass of ice water to our success!