Have I mentioned that CIGNA makes me crazy?

After the first time I put in for pre-approval, Cigna came back and said, "No, you don't need this. You didn't give us proof of a 6 month diet and a nutritional evaluation". Well, I bloody well had given them that, but I compiled more detailed paper work and it was sent in again. So I got back another refusal. Cigna tells me that my diet wasn't recent enough (I'm still doing it NOW, I'm just doing horribly at it), and that I didn't have "behavioral interventions" (which they put in bold italics). I gave up eating sugar on purpose in 2003. I see my doctor every 2 months and he does a complete blood workup on me. I have a food plan that I'm supposed to follow. I see my trainer for circuit training 3 times a week. What exactly am I supposed to be doing that they'd consider "behavioral interventions"? My size hasn't changed since the summer of 2005. My weight has gone up this year, though, because I just couldn't handle eating less than I wanted and not eating junk for so long without the reward of seeing my weight go down because of it. My doctor and my trainer spent a lot of time convincing me that a lap band was something I needed, and that it would help. Why doesn't the insurance company agree with them? The next step is for my surgeon (Dr. Nusbaum) to speak directly with a Cigna doctor. I cannot believe it had to go that far. Cigna is making me crazy. Tami

hi tami i know that when i went for my 6 month i had to go every month -- every 2 months wasn't good enough i've had my fights with aetna -- not about WLS -- but with another medical problem i have and the medication i needed -- it took them over a month of screaming (i can be loud) and fighting and calling every day to finally get the approval -- stupid i don't know what kind of behavioral intervention they are looking for -- can they explain all this in easier terms haha the person on the phone probably doesn't know what they are looking for either good luck roberta

Thanks, Roberta. My surgeon talked to CIGNA on Friday, and the woman I work with in his office called me back, afterwards. Now they want case notes and a letter from the doctor at the gym who oversees the diet programs. The letter's not a problem, we have a sample letter re-typed, signed up, and ready to send, but the case notes are problematic. My trainer doesn't want to share them. He's pretty mu*****ensed that CIGNA even asked. If I have to start a new 6-month period of dieting, with better record taking, I will, but I've been on an eating and exercise plan since the summer of 2003, and the fact that the insrance co, refuses to recognize it is cheesing me off. Tami