Quextions... yet again...

So, now I have to do the 6 month diet as I have no documentation prior to that will be good enough for insurance. What is your experience as the best thing to do? Is it enough to have your PCP put you on a diet and check in with them once a month? Did you do that and it was OK? Also, for those who've had the surgery done at Centennial, is it mandatory that the psych evaluation be done by the Frye Center? I saw the $295 cost for that and was blown away. And, the meeting with the nutritionist... do you all find that being covered by the insurance and does it matter who does it if Centennial is where you are having surgery? Thanks a lot for your help! You all are sooo knowledgeable and so ready to help. You are a blessing indeed!

Hey Chandra, I'll try and answer as many as I can. As for the Frye center, I'm not sure if they require you to use Frye but it speeds the process. MOST insurance will not cover this service and the $295 is a discount from over $600. But as always, there are exceptions. My friend had hers done elsewhere and Medicaid paid for it and Cent. is accepting it...so find out if your ins. will cover it and go from there. My ins. initially denied the nutritional consult but after the surgery was approved, they went back and paid for it. As far as I know it does have to be with the nut. the center sets you with...even though they are located at Cent. they are independent...go figure! Now for the biggie...the diet. If I were you, and this is what I did, I did a diet and checked in with my PCP monthly...do NOT skip a month or most ins. will make you start over. But...for good measure, I also met with a dietician once a month as well so if your ins. will cover this, go for it. Mine did because I was diabetic so this may not apply to you. I have watched many go through this and the main thing is documentation of monthly check-ins...this is critical. Good luck with everything and let me know if I can help with anything!

Dr Vic OBryan did my eval but I think he did it at a special rate for our company.. you may want to call him. I liked him a lotl He's nice. He's at baptist. Dr Houston did my surgery, at Centennial, and they accepted dr obryan's eval

Hey Chandra, I'll try and answer as many as I can. As for the Frye center, I'm not sure if they require you to use Frye but it speeds the process. MOST insurance will not cover this service and the $295 is a discount from over $600. But as always, there are exceptions. My friend had hers done elsewhere and Medicaid paid for it and Cent. is accepting it...so find out if your ins. will cover it and go from there. My ins. initially denied the nutritional consult but after the surgery was approved, they went back and paid for it. As far as I know it does have to be with the nut. the center sets you with...even though they are located at Cent. they are independent...go figure! Now for the biggie...the diet. If I were you, and this is what I did, I did a diet and checked in with my PCP monthly...do NOT skip a month or most ins. will make you start over. But...for good measure, I also met with a dietician once a month as well so if your ins. will cover this, go for it. Mine did because I was diabetic so this may not apply to you. I have watched many go through this and the main thing is documentation of monthly check-ins...this is critical. Good luck with everything and let me know if I can help with anything!

Chandra, Do you have the 100% or 90% coverage from BCBS?? I went through Vanderbilt and my pysch eval did not cost anything at the time I was under the 100 % coverage because I was going through process of trying to get approved for surgery. Also with Vanderbilt I did not have a lot of documented medical records showing any weight loss attempts I gave them what I had and I was still approved. Feel free to ask me anything. The nutrisionist however I did have to pay I believe over 200.00 on my own for all my meetings with the NUT.

I do have 100% coverage as of Jan 1, 2007. I'd been told about the $200 for the nutritionist by another person who had it done at Vanderbilt. I think I need mark an envelope "surgery fund" and start saving huh?

I'll let you know about the cost tomorrow after my NUT eval....BCBS accepted my psych eval from another Dr...also covers 50% of cost