PLEASE HELP ME!!! :(

UUGGGHH!! So I am stuck! I am almost done with my 6 month diet (1 month left). I am trying to get all of my ducks in a row, and I need documentation of morbid obesity from early 2007. Now I didn't go to the doc early 2007, at all! But I do have pics from my wedding that have the date stamped on the back. I saw my doc this morning and asked for a letter stating that she viewed them and that in her opinion I was considered obese. Well the letter was very simple. Just saying she looked at them and that I was obese in the pics. I am trying to get my insurance to answer if that will be ok, but nobody is giving me a yes or no. Just the same stupid answer!! 'Just send in anything that will help determine if you need surgery'.  AHHHH!!! I want to just send in the pic and letter now so they can have time to view and determine if it is good enough. But do you think I should include a copy of my marriage certificate? It states that I got married Jan 21, 2007.  Excuse me while I cry....

    

Calm down.  No matter what you send, the insurance will fight you on approval.  

 

I met EVERY criteria – my insurance denied my WLS THREE times and then I had to do independent arbitration to win approval.  Their last ‘try’?  Saying that I needed to have had the SAME doctor for my 6 mos diet attempt – HUH?  All I’m doing is showing up to get weighed, my BP taken and the mofo to nod and say ‘Yep, lost some, but still fat than a mofo’…… who cares if the same person says that ALL 6 of those months???!!!!!

 

So – send what you have and wait to see what they say.  The first denial is NOT the end of the story.

I personally did not have any insurance issues but just remember it is there business to make money and denying your surgery keeps your money in their pocket.  Just send what you have and whatever they ask for get it to them.  They hope that you will become frustrated and stop trying.

Don't give up this is one of the battles you are going to have to face.

Have you ever done Weigh****chers or anything like that? I too was initially denied...luckily I had kept my WW records (even though I was fat my WHOLE life except for being 2 pounds & some change @ birth). They took those as proof of ongoing obesity.

Thanks for the advice, but NOPE!! I have never done anything like that before! BCBSAL is a hard insurance company, and they want everything EXACT! I have proof from 2008, I just need 2007. *sigh*....

Did you go to the ER for anything?
Any kind of doc or anything along those lines at all?
Heck, the pics might have to do!! At least they are date stamped!

LOL yeah, my wedding pics are all I have. But hey in their notes it say that pics will be accepted in lieu of medical records! So we shall see!

Okay, I included:

Letters of recommendation from ALL of my doctors i.e. endocrinologist (thyroid doc), orthopedic doctor (for my back),neuphologist (hypertension specialist) as well as my primary care physician, jus to name a few.  If you saw someone for breathing issues, or sleeping issues, include that.

Pharmacy records showing meds needed or increased due to obesity

Gym history

Attendance records from Weigh****cher, my doctor, TOPS showing monthly weigh ins.

Before and after pictures of me with dates on them.

Pictures of all the diet books and programs I had been on to prove I had tried IT ALL!!!

That is just to name a few things.  My file was 66 pages long.  Don't panic.  Stop and think about every single thing that showed what you did and how you did it over the last year.  Every piece of documentation you can think of, include.  Over Kill is a good thing.

They said proof and sounds like you got that covered.

The picture and doctor's letter should be enough.

Pray, send it in and wait for the answer.  Hope you

get approved the first time around.

Do you go to an ob-gyn?  The gyn always gets your weight if you go annually.