More Q's about Medically supervised failed wt loss attempts

I am nearly done with my 12 months of this requirement.  Unfortunately, this attempt has been like all of those in the past and my weight did not vary much, although other medical concerns arose, i.e. diabetes diagnosis. My concern is that BC/BS of IL will see this recent "failure" and deny me, if their perspective is that the supervised diet is a "predictor" of future success. So, my questions are how likely is this? what can I (or my PCP) do about this?   Any ideas would be most helpful!  Thanks.  

Thank you for your encouragement!  I'll try to remind myself that there is light at the end of the tunnel!  Thanks!

I think whether you loose weight on the pre-op diet is not the main concern, although they would of course like for you to loose weight, they just want documentation that you really tried.  I think that even if you did not loose if you have food diaries to prove that you followed your diet and performed some type of exercise program, they will not have much to deny you with.  I have BCBS of Alabama and I only lost about 16 pounds the whole six months and I just got approved this week.

Congrats Angela!  Thanks for the advice!

They may and I mean may throw it in as "patient is non compliant" and try to deny you that way, BUT that is very very rare and overcome by simply showing that you have a history of failed diets and you complied with their totally wrong requirements.

Thanks for your response, Gary!  This messageboard is so wonderful, such a blessing!  By "totally wrong requirements," do you mean that the ins co's policy is the 12 months med-supervised? Thanks again!

Do ALL insurance companies require you diet for 6 or more months before you can be approved (or considered)? I TRY, joined Jenny Craig and then couldnt afford the food after awhile. And I cannot excersize hardly at all because I have degenerative joint disease and I am in a lot of pain. If I work out, I cannot walk the next day and for several days after that! So what am I supposed to do?

I believe most companies require it--even if they don't tell you so until you are well into the approval process. After talking with my insurance company for four months, and asking multiple times about their requirements for approval, they sprung the six-month medically supervised diet requirement on me through after my surgeon's nurse.  Coincidentally, I had done two months of my own accord, and a month working with my surgeon's nutritionist.  The surgeon's nurse said the person she spoke with at my insurance company (Humana) said that would count as three months and I needed three additional months.  However, when I called and spoke with them today (after a month lapse between the nutritionist and when the surgeon's nurse was told I needed three more months), I was told unless the surgeon's nurse could provide the name of the person at Humana who said I only needed three months, and because of the month lapse, I would have to start over with six consecutive months.  The nurse had not written down the name of the person she spoke with at Humana, so I am back at square one + three months. The moral of this story is always confirm everything your told (no matter who tells you) at least twice and get names and dates to back you up.  I should have immediately followed up on what the surgeon's nurse told me and gotten detailed information.  I was foolish to take her word for it.  You are really on your own with this process and I have learned that the hard way.  So learn from me.  Do the medically supervised program through your doctor and be meticulous about your appointments and recordkeeping.