Losing before surgery

O****ep hearing people talking about being told to lose before the surgery and now I am concerned. I was told that if you lose anything you may not get approved and I am concerned now that I should be losing. I am not gaining... oh no... what's that all about?

Some insurance companies now require people to lose between 5% and 10% of their body weight before the will approve surgery. These companies that do have this requirement, use the starting weight to determine eligibility though. Even if your insurance company does not require any weight loss prior to surgery, most surgeons will tell you that anything you can lose will improve the ability to complete the surgery laproscopically. It will shrink the liver making it easier for the surgeon to move it out of the work field and see what he is doing. Even if you aren't required to lose anything prior to surgery, you do want to avoid "last meal syndrome" which can lead to weight gain prior to surgery.

Melissa, I have Cigna and I was required to have a 6 month doctor supervised diet documentation prior to Cigna approving my surgery. Have you already been through that? Shelia

Yeah... Cigna has all that and the last two days they have told me the same thing that they just got it today but they said that yesterday. I have everything but a yes... ha ha ha!

I have BCBS and they are requiring me to lose 10% of my weight. I also have to document my weight loss each month at a doctor's visit. Not all insurances require this. As far as losing any and not being approved that might apply to people who are considered "lightweights" and whose insurance doesn't require any pre-op weight loss. If you are pre-op you may want to call your insurance company and find out all the guidelines. Best wishes! Melissa

My insurance company looked at the bmi before losing any weight... so even if I would have fallen below the 40 bmi, I was 43 to start with, and that is what they looked at.

Thanks everybody!!! I feel better now... I just was concerned...