Question:
I need to gain 10 lbs.
I need to gain 10 lbs to qualify for surgery. My insurance requires me to be 100 lbs overweight and right now I am only 90 lbs overweight. My doctor said he would operate on me, but my insurance won't pay. I really don't want to jeapordize my health and eat more to gain the weight. I was even thinking about wearing some sort of ankle/arm weights to my appointment so I can "gain" that weight that insurance wants UGH. Has anyone ever done something like this? IF my insurance found out would that be considered insurance fraud? Any suggestions or comments? Thank you :) — [Anonymous] (posted on November 16, 2001)
November 16, 2001
Would you have to gain weight or could you "shrink" an inch?? My
height was never measured, I just wrote my height on a medical history
form. Shelley
— Shelley.
November 16, 2001
Yes it is considered fraud to lie to the insurance company. They'd be
paying for something they'd normally deny. Good luck and God Bless!
— Kimberly L.
November 16, 2001
What is your BMI? I only need to loose 80# and I qualified
because I have 5 other co-morbids, my BMI is 40. If you can prove other
co-morbids many ins. co.'s pay w/ 35 BMI plus
comorbids.
— Cindee A.
November 16, 2001
Girl, when you go in to get weighed, wear 3 turtlenecks, a sweater, 2 pairs
of jeans(preferably damp & don't forget to load the pockets with about
$20 in change), 4 pairs of socks, big ol' construction boots, tons of heavy
jewelry, and you'll be FINE! :-)
— Crystal T.
November 17, 2001
I had no trouble qualifying at 407 lbs., but my friend was only 230 and
needed to be 240 to qualify. She put a 5 lbs. weight in each pocket of her
jacket when she first met with the surgeon, and that did the trick. Yeah,
it would probably be considered insurance fraud if the insurance ever found
out about it, but this woman is now happily a year post-op and 140 lbs.
Keep in mind, though, they weigh you right before surgery at the hospital,
and there's no way to hide weights under your hospital gown!!! You might
just have fun gaining the 10 lbs. I'm sure, with our metabolisms, it
wouldn't take much! Obviously, it seems like it's self-defeating, but
insurance rules are insurance rules, dumb as they may be. Good luck to
you.
— Terissa R.
November 17, 2001
Drink lots of water and have a large meal before you go, wear heavy
clothes, you'll make it.
— Kathy P.
November 17, 2001
I am also in the same position. I was denied insurance coverage due to a
low BMI and I have no serious co-morbities. I struggled with whether the
surgery was right for me or not and finally decided that it has got to
happen. I was weighed at my doctor's office in July and have gained 7 lbs.
since then without trying. If you really think this surgery is for you,
then do whatever it takes to make that happen. Good Luck!
— Tara J.
November 17, 2001
I bought ankle weights, took out the sand packets, and put about four in
each pocket of my jeans. Also, for the weeks before my doctor's
appointment, I started eating Big Macs and switched from diet soda to
exclusively regular, high sugar sodas, such as Mountain Dew. It worked! I
went from a 38.6 BMI to a 40.6 BMI. I'm also technically 5'8 and
3/4", but I said I was 5'8", so that helped.
— [Anonymous]
November 24, 2001
I "shrunk" an inch, and I wore really heavy big jeans (with lots
of change in them) to my weigh-in. I also ate a huge heavy meal right
before my weigh-in. I told my doctor I'm going to lightly diet before my
surgery to prep my body. So far, my diet is going great (haha) and I've
lost 8 pounds!
— [Anonymous]
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