So am I supposed to be successful on my 6 month diet?

I have Molina Healthcare of California.  They require a six month diet and are actually paying for me to attend Weigh* Watcher*.  I just really don't know how to go about it.  They say that "In order to continue offering you this valuable program you are expected to lose 1-2 pounds a week."  So far I have lost 4 pounds in 7 weeks.  I am trying, sorta.  My dillema is that I have a BMI of 41, so I can't lose more than 7 pounds or I will go under the standard of 40BMI to qualify for surgery with no comorbids.  I am planning on having the duodenal switch, so I know that I'm already gonna have an uphill battle.  I just need to know how to handle this first.  Any advice would be very helpful.  Thanks!

 I don't see how they can require you to lose weight like that. If diets worked, you wouldn't need the surgery!

If you comply with WW, but don't lose 1-2 lbs per week over 24 weeks, will they still let you have the surgery? Or are they just talking about the WW ? I would find out and make sure you have it in writing. Is it an HMO?

Sara

Yes, Molina Healthcare is an HMO.  I think the 1-2 pounds expected loss is a standard amound anybody is supposed to lose on a diet.  I think that is what they want me to lose or they will stop paying for the Weigh****chers.  If that happens I'll just pay for it myself till I get the six months in.  I just wish I new what they really want from this six month diet thing.  Is it to really lose weight and not need surgery any more, is it to simply stall us, or is it to use it against us and say that because we failed at the diet we will fail at WLS too.  HMOs are just a pain to deal with!

Well, from what I've read, there has been NO evidence that doing the 6 months diet has any tie to whether or not you'll comply with the requirements after surgery. Some surgeons want you to lose some weight prior to surgery because it will help to get rid of some of the fatty deposits on your liver, which will make surgery easier.

I'm just starting my 6 months diet, too. I plan to lose some, but not as much as I could if I really tried. I have "really tried" a million times before, only to gain it all back and then some. Heck, I just lost about 30 pounds in the few months before I decided to have the surgery! But, of course, now that doesn't count since it wasn't "medically supervised."

I agree with Jill.  I think the 6 month diet is a way for you to show that you are committed to following a program.  I don't think that it will keep you from getting approved if you do all the things your insurance company requires.  Plus, 6 months from now you will have lost some weight and be on the road to a new you.

I'm in the same situation.  My BMI is 40 and my insurance requires a minimum BMI of 40 for approval.  I'm only two weeks into my diet and am losing weight.  For me, losing then being able to maintain without regaining more is the issue I'm trying to resolve with wls.   

I may be misinformed, but I thought that in the State of CA, you could not be denied based on a 6 month diet.
I am on one too, but I was told by my case nurse not to worry if I didn't do well.  I can only lose a few pounds myself, so I plan to lose and regain the whole 6 months.  Ending up still above 35 BMI...should be fine...but then I'm not in CA, nor do I use the same insurance.

I seems to me that the required diet thing is just a stall tactic used by insurances.  I'm not doing well at all on the diet.  At this point I'm just jumpin through the hoops.  I am so consumed by this surgery and I am still at just the beginning.  kinda frustrating.

Shannon,

Somewhere on this insurance help forum, they talk about CA HMOs. If I remember correctly, an HMO in CA cannot require the diet for the surgery. Go through the posts until you find the info. I think it will be helpful for you.

IMO they want the diet as a stall hoping that you will give up before it's completed... But I'm kinda cynical. I'm not good at following diets b/c I get hungry... But I do think someone made a good point about the fatty liver and giving the doc more room to work.
 
Good luck and let us know what's happening.

Sara

ha ha.  Amen on the "I'm not good at following diets b/c I get hungry."  That really hits the nail.

I'm gonna go check out those boards right now.  Thanks for the advice.

I would go to the cali board and ask them.....I have heard that they have state laws regard WLS.....this is something you definitely should check into.