medically supervised diets

What quailfies as a medically supervised diet? My insurance requires six months of documented doctor monitored weight loss attempts and visits. OR Three months medically supervised diet. What's the difference? Every time i see my doctor we discuss my weight and outline plans to reduce it. This last time he changed my medications and added one he thought may make a difference. It hasn't been consecutive months other than the past two, but it has been consistent for all of my visits to him since I began seeing him 5 years ago. I was also hospitalized due to my high blood pressure meds last year.........I was prescribed too much and got woozy and faint. Pretty much fainted and called 911 when I came to enough to panic. My thought is that its significant that I had to spend three days in the hospital to get a comorbid condition under control properly. ;) Any advice is appreciated.....I've got that insurance with five letters that begins with TWO vowels and its an HMO program. My husband is currently not on board with my plans when previously he was kinda neutral and even half way supportive. Nonetheless, I went to the seminar and made my first consult appointment with the doctor. I've taken a good year and a half to make this decision!!

Hi Dawn! If it starts with an "A", I have the same one. I initially got denied for the documentation of my 6 months supervised diet. The key word here is documentation. My doctor simply added an addendum to each month's notes to add the missing information and my denial was reversed! Anyway, here is the required info: Monthly meeting with doctor for 6 months (at least 4 of those must be consectutive) Each month must be fully documented with the following info: Weight Pounds lost eating plan (for example: 1200 calories a day/ high protein) exercise plan (for example: 30 min walking 4 times per week) weight loss meds prescribed (if applicable) next follow up date Oh and by the way, they requested my PCP's actual notes...not a letter from her. Hope that helped! Christine

Just prepare yourself and get all the documentation you possibly can. If your doc is anything like mine a supportive spouse is a MUST. Good thing to because post op with someone who is not supportive I think would be hell. Best of luck and Christine gave you awesome advice! Hugs! Shele

My insurance (AE***) required a three month program. Basically my surgeon had me meet with a nutritionist twice and take a class on post-op nutrition...all spread over three months. The nutritionist took my weight at each appt. I also had to see a physical therapist to document that I was exercising. That seemed to do the trick for me...but like Christine said...documentation is the key. Let us know if we can help! Christina S

I adore you all already. Thanks so much for the help. If only FOUR of the six months have to be consecutive, I've got two months down already! Thanks for outlining exactly what has to be done and documented. I was feeling a tad down that it might be December before I can even THINK about surgery after mulling it over for a year and a half already. I'm feeling much more hopeful. Thanks a million.