Help.......Need insurance help!!!

Can anyone help me?? I've had my consultation on 01/23/04. Found out that my insurance is now requiring a 2 year history that will show that I've tried to follow a weight loss program on my own. Of course, I don't have proof, as of yet, of a medically supervised history. I've been on every diet known to man, from 1972 to present. I've done Weigh****chers the most, however, I don't have any of the documentation to prove it. I've done LA Weight Loss, Phen-Phen, Xenical, Redux, Fit America, Ayds Candies, Nutra System, Jennie Craig.....you name it, I've done it! I've contacted the doctors that overseed my prescription medications, however, they may not be able to retrieve the meds because it's been over seven years! I'm still waiting for their return calls! Has any of you ran into this problem, prior to being approved? If so, please let me know what you did to assist in getting the approval! I'm desperate now; I can't let the insurance company stop me from proceeding with my "much needed" surgery! Please help!

OK, calm down. I went through the same thing with Aetna. It's not as hard as you think. You say you went through Weigh****chers (they keep records). Check with the counsler at your center and get the main number for your area. Call and ask for a print out of your weight-ins and anything else they might have. for my area it is Philly and they were very helpful. The same goes with Jennie Craig and LA weightloss - they have to maintain records. What they are more interested in is your attempts to loose weight over the last 2 years. If you ever discussed your weight and attempts at loss with your doctor, get full copies of you medical file from each doctor you visit. Highlight each time your weight and any attempts you have made to loose weight show up in those records with a yellow highlighter. When getting your medical records make sure you request their office notes also. Also, it wouldn't hurt if you could get one or more of your doctors to write a letter stating you have tried unsucessfully over the past two years to loose weight and that they recommend you for this procedure. Make sure they list any other medical problems; i.e., diabetes, sleep apnea, anything else related to obesity. Once you have everything and only once you have everything submit it nicely put together with highlighting and postit flags (they help a lot). Sit back and relax things should work then.

Geraldine, I also had a problem with Cigna and finally got approved. They are making it more and more difficult but not impossible. It is very important to get all the DR's you go to, to write letters recommending the surgery is a "MEDICAL NECESSITY" make sure you keep copies of everything. I also filed a complaint with the State Insurance Board. It's time consuming but worth the fight. I kept all my files so if you need anymore info feel free to Email me. Good Luck, Georgette

Same problem for me -- easy solution -- Every time you went to any Dr in the last two years -- what's the first thing they did. They weighed you! Well, that is medical documentation of your weight over the last two years, and you just get that information, and make up a chart, adding notes to the dates and weights of what "weight loss" attempt you were making at a time. Ideally, they would show an modest up and down weight goals. Add that chart to your letters of medical necessity. That's what I did with Aetna and it worked no problem - got approved within a week. Down 122 pounds now -- Good luck.