avoided PCP now have to ask for recommendation letter?

Alright the way my insurance works is to see a specialist I do not need a referral. So I went to the info session set up a bunch of appointments just to find out i need to go to the PCP to get a letter of recommendation. The problem is I have been overweight all of my life. Whenever I went to the doctors even for a cold they would say it was because of my weight. So I just stopped going unless I had no other choice but to go to the doctors. So now after only seeing my PCP when i was sick (about 4 times in the past 3 years) I have to ask for a letter of recoomendation. Has anyone had to do this? I am sure I am not the only one that avoided the doctors due to their weight. Did it go over well?

I guess I've been lucky...none of my PCP's blamed my weight for normal sickness...it was blamed for my diabetes and my cholesterol but that made sense.

Draft a letter stating why you want the procedure...laying out all your medical reasons. Ask for the recommendation and then MAIL it to him, personal/his (or her) eyes only. He will probably still want to see you but the door has been opened at that point and can focus on the details.

Good luck.

Liz

I go to my doctor's office once a year - year and a half.   If your PCP has blamed everything on your weight for years then I would think they would be eager to write you a letter of recommendation.   I would draft the letter so you can research what specific points your insurance requires to approve the surgery (there are lots of examples of letters of medical necessity on the web)  but don't mail it.  Make an appointment and give them the draft letter (you can offer to e-mail it to them to so they can just tweak it if they want to change anything)   They are very busy and the easier and less time consuming you make it for them, the more likely you will get their cooperation. 

You can do this no problem.  Remember that you pay your doctor for his services.  You are the client and have no reason to feel intimidated.

Best of luck

Renee

These things are never less than awkward.  Just do it - suck it up and assert that this is your answer to the problem.

Your PCP doesn't care you haven't been in more often.  S/he will most certainly recommend WLS based on your WEIGHT, not how often you go in.  Even if you went to a brand new PCP that you had never seen before, s/he would recommend WLS based on your weight.  Don't personalize it.