???? on 6 months diet required by BCBS

Hi everyone, I am a new member. I have started my journey to a new life in Aug 06, and I got my first denial from the Insurance comapny (Blue cross of Southearn CA /PPO)3  days ago, They want a 6 month documented diet program.... I am 49 with a BMI 42 and have been dieting since I was 10 and maybe even 9, but they don't care, and meanwhile my health is getting worse..... Do you think I should apeal this or just start to go with the flow and start the 6 months program a.s.a.p ? I need your feedbacks please.....

HI  My insurance required 6 months of dieting with my family doctor too.  I like you filed with insurance and was denied because of the 6 month dieting.  I just completed it Oct 1st ( didnt lose any)  and now they have approved me.  My advice is to get a copy of all of the requirements from your insurance company to approve surgery and give a copy to your family dr and surgeon.  Good luck....

You were lucky, let me tell you that they approved it even though you didn't lose weight.  I spoke with Fiserv and they told me that if you didn't lose any weight they would deny you because they want to see that you will maintain a healthy lifestyle.  I have become a documenting fiend here.  I got into a huge fight with Fiserv and let me tell you it wasn't pretty. They even went so far as to tell me that THIER CLIENT (my husband's employer) needed to be on the phone with me if I called them from here on out.  I promptly responded to them, "you've already broken numerous HIPAA laws with my case, do you really think I am going to give you a release that gives you permission to have them on the phone? THINK AGAIN!" 

There may be other things you need to have done as well. I would start you 6 month Dr supervised diet asap, it will go by quicker than you think, I just finished my 12 month Dr supervised diet. So it could be worse, just think 6 months is nothing in the long run! And you will probably be healthier for your surgery, and can start some of the habits you'll need after surgery. Best of luck, Jen

I am in month four of my six month diet.  Yes, when I first started this journey and found out that I had to do this, I was devastated.  But I have found it to go very quickly, and it has been a time filled with going to readiness classes, getting together medical records, have the pysch consult, meeting the surgeon, cleaning some fat clothes out of the closet, buying some of the dollar clearance clothes in smaller sizes (sooner or later they will fit during this journey and for a dollar you can't go wrong).  Then I found out that even though I have been doing the diet I will have a two week Optifast diet before surgery.  There will always be something......but look at what the results will be! Give yourself those six months to get your body into better health.