Question:
Any way around 6 month monitored diet rule?

Has anyone successfully gotten around the 6 month supervised diet rule?    — cricketrncen (posted on April 24, 2006)

April 25, 2006
I was on it for 5 months with Great West but I also had documentation of going to Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers in that same year. Good luck.
   — classite

April 25, 2006
My primary Dr. told me I had to have the 6 month diet. At my next visit with my Surgen, I asked the lady that does all the submitting to ins.about this. She looked at my file and said no. With my weight 361 and BMI 56.5 I clearly was a canadate for this surgery. She said she was submitting that day. Two weeks and one day, :) she called and I was approved. I have UHC EPO Insurances Donna B.
   — Donna B.

April 25, 2006
I never had to do it. I had a long history of unsuccessful dieting, bulimia and laxative abuse. I was in the military at the time and was weighed every week not to mention daily remedial PT. It was humiliating. After discharge from the military, my weight ballooned in 6 months from 165 to 200. But that's getting off the subject of monitered diets.
   — Lilkonza

April 26, 2006
I'm with Cigna and was furious about the 6 month diet requirement. I got around it by showing my 15 year history of diet attempts. I included gym membership information--when I joined, when I quit...when I rejoined. I also asked my personal trainer I had once to write me a letter stating my failed attempts at exercise with her and why. I also got a letter from my nutritionist stating my failures. I went to my doctor and asked him to write a letter. And lastly, I went to a lawyer. He sent all that in for me for my first appeal. I don't even think I really needed him. But it was worth it...I'm 8 months post-op and 130lbs. lighter. I say fight it...it's a terrible thing to make someone do who has fought through diets most of their life. Don't give in. They approved me after my first appeal letter. Good luck.
   — TB

April 26, 2006
I went thru Kaiser Colorado. Do yourself a big favor and do whatever you are asked. This is just a tool to get the weight loss going. To succeed with after surgery you have to know what is healthy to eat. You don't want to find yourself making the same mistakes? These are my personal feelings about getting prepared for one of the biggest steps you take in your life. Success is worth working for!! Good Luck in getting to your goal weight.
   — mtackett