Why doesn't my time doing weigh****chers count?

Sorry, I am going to b**ch a little here.  So my insurance says "The individual must have serially documented active participation in a non-surgical weight reduction regimen for at least 6 continuous months, in the 2 years prior to surgery".  I would have thought my paying and tracking of wigh****chers would have counted towards this but my doctors office says I have to have 6 visits with their NUT. 

If thats the rule I will follow it but I feel like it is just easier for the doctors office to have me come to them then look at my tracking and accept that.    I should just be thankfull insurance covers it at all.

Rant over.

I did a lot of research with my insurance before I ever saw the surgeon.  When I went to surgeon for my first consult, he was telling me that insurance required this and that and the other, but I had to argue with him and tell him that my policy did not require those things.  Upon him looking further into the paperwork, he was shocked to see that I knew what I was talking about.

Girl....call your insurance.  Ask them first.  I think they may accept the WW stuff.  If they don't, then you'll have to see his NUT, but if they do, you can argue with their office and tell them that you're not wasting the money on the NUT when you already have proof.

And....as always....get it in writing from you insurance!

I would call your insurance company. That way you will know if it is your surgeon's requirement or the insurance company's. Reality is surgery and all the hoops you have to jump through won't happen overnight....probably will take 3 months anyway. I only had to give 6 months of weights to the insurance company and luckily I had been to the doctor for various reasons, so between that and the bariatric surgeon's visits I was good... but still it took three months to finish my tests, get insurance approval and get on the calendar.

They also deal with a lot of insurance companies and maybe they are assuming it wouldn't be accepted...

I did call WW to get a printout of my participation, in case I needed it for this journey. As long as you did that pre-pay (I forget what they call it) they should be able to give you a print out of participation. For times when I didn't do pre-pay they said to go to my local center I had used and they might be able to find it on their computer. I got the corporate print out, but then didn't need it anyway...

Thank you.  I'm going to call my insurance today.  Worst case I have to wait until September best case I can do this in May or June.

When I called my insurance company about the surgery they emailed a copy of the portion of my policy dealing with Bariatrics... that way I had it in writing...

When I started this process it stated that both weigh****chers, and slim 4 life counted. However, when I called the insurance company they told me they no longer accepted those things. It aucked because I had done both but I just moved on. 

Insurance has certain requirements. Surgeon's programs have certain requirements on top of that. This could be a mistake by the surgeon concerning your insurance. Or they might not care about WW, and require you to do their own program.

Unfortunately, weightloss surgery has become a cash cow and there are all sorts of "programs" that surgeons insist on that make sure you are lighter, at least in the pocket.

NUTS often give absolutely awful advice too ...  

If you have to do this, do your own research and don't take what they say as gospel truth.

Well I spoke to my insurance and they don't accept weigh****chers since it is not a supervised program.  Now I have to decide do I do the surgery in July so I am 4 wks out when I go on my cruise or wait until Sept after I return.  I guess I will have plenty of time to make my decision.

Usually between sleep apnea, heart, psyc etc tests, it runs about 6 months. like others has said, my INS allowed weigh****chers as long as they had 6 consecutive months. this may be surgeons rule