Dying while I wait for 5 years ????? UHC

My problem lies with the 5 year weight reporting requirement that United Healthcare is requesting from my Bariatric doctor.  I had not been to a doctor for any reason to record my weight for over 25 years, when I walked into the Hospital with chest pains in December '05.  At that time my weight had "dropped" to 250 lbs (BMI @ 35), from a high of 285.

For the record, I was a 30 year smoker when I quite smoking November 19, 2000, weighing 220 at the time (BMI 31).  I jumped up to 285 within 18 months, and drifted, as the result of numerous dietary efforts, between 250-280 from that point until the December '05 hospital stay , at which time I was diagnosed with Cardiovascular disease (50% Blockage of my LAD), hypertriglyceridemia (Triglytcerides over +1200), Diabetes type 2 , and Hypertension.   Since my hospital stay, I have also been diagnosed with GERD, and as recently as last month, with severe sleep apnea.

The medicines I take daily include Lipitor (80mg) for my high cholesterol and triglycerides, Aciphex 20mg for GERD, Altace (2.5mg) and Lopressor (50mg x 2) for blood pressure and heart function, Metformin (500mg x4) and Glipizide (5mg) for Diabetes, and have just added Provigil (400mg), due to the sleep apnea.  I also now use a cpap machine to breath while sleeping.

My argument for being approved by UHC to have the lap-band procedure, without being able to provide 5 years of documented weight history is simple;  even as a smoker for 30 years, until shortly before my hospital visit in 2005, I never had a reason to go to the doctor.  In fact, after I gave up smoking, in spite of the weight gain (which I viewed as a side effect of giving up cigarettes),  I felt great.  Secondly, I have been unsuccessfully trying to lose weight since I first quite smoking in 2000.  Third, my medical history is well documented by my numerous insurance claims over the past two years with UHC,  and I have already developed (excluding arthritis), all the co-morbidities associated with being morbidly obese (my current weight  of 288 = BMI of 40). 

Furthermore, It is well documented that many of these co-morbidities can be either eliminated or substantially improved upon, utilizing the Lap Band procedure, in a relatively short period of time .  Something that should be considered, particularly when one of the issues we are dealing with is Diabetes.

  I simply can not see any medical or fiscal advantage for me or United Healthcare, to  require we wait 3 more years to obtain the 5 years of documented weight history.  To put it bluntly, I am already dying as a result of these medical conditions,  my demise is simply being postponed pharmaceutically, and now with the addition of a Cpap machine, mechanically.

My position is why continue to treat the symptoms of morbid obesity, why not go directly to "root cause", and attack the weight as aggressively as we can, before one of these conditions causes irreversible damage.   Do you think there is any change UHC will ignore the lack of a 5 year weight history?

Thanks in advance

Cliff   

Get everything to them.  If they deny you, appeal.  The worst that happens is that you lose, but at least you gave it your best. Get every medical record, every test, everything.  Go into your BMI and co-morbidities big time.  Put the ball in their court and see where it goes.