Question:
Anyone been denied surgery due to dietician not supervising diet?

I have AETNA and chose to do the 3mth supervised diet. Everything has been completed and sent in for approval only to be denied for surgery due to doctor supervising diet and not dietician. Now they want me to start the 3mth diet all over again!! Is this something that can be appealed or should I just do it all over?    — DeeGee (posted on May 25, 2006)

May 25, 2006
Did you see a dietician at all during the 3 months?? I was approved by Aetna within 24 hours doing the 3 month regimen. I saw a nutritionist the first month and then each month after that I weighed in with my primary care doctor. Let me know if you have any other questions, I would be happy to assist you. Malena 329/188/160
   — *Malena* M.

May 26, 2006
I also have aetna PPO and I started Last july with the process I was first denied because I did not have a supervised diet I just had notes from my PCP so I started seeing a dietician along with seein my pcp every month for 7months I just got approved for surgery on July 25th,2006. so don;t give up just see both at the same time. and make sure that they take your weight everytime and document it. Keep me posted on how your progress is doing God Bless and take care BJ
   — Bettye Jones

May 26, 2006
See if you can get a dietition to sign off on the Dr's notes. I had to do it the other way around. Great-west requires Dr. supervised but I did it through a dietition and had the Dr. sign off on her notes.
   — Jennifer T.

May 26, 2006
Thank you guys for your responses. I called the insurance company today for an appeal and the medical director changed his decision and approved me right over the phone!!
   — DeeGee

May 27, 2006
I had the surgery and Aetna paid for it. I wwent to a dietician for six months. i also went to my PCP, but my dietician supervised my diet. go and look at Aetna's guidelines and do exactly what it says! That is what i did!
   — Novashannon