Question:
My insurance company is asking for DOCUMENTED diet history. HELP!

I really need any input on this situation. I wrote down all the diets i had been on for the last six years, to the surgeons office, with three doctors listed. The one doctor i took phen phen and his office conviently lost all my records. The other two were my pcps who just gave me a diet to follow and were never documented in my medical records, due to the fact my insurance company policies. WHAT SHOULD I DO??? IM SOOO AFRAID OF BEING DENIED BECAUSE OF THIS. PLEASE NEED SOME INPUT!!!!    — shauna S. (posted on November 8, 2001)

November 8, 2001
My PCP wrote a letter to insurance/surgeon. She said i had been her patient for 6 years (true) and I had been on many diets/drugs which she named. Phen fen etc. and said my BMI was 40 w/ a list of co-morbids, and current meds. and I was a good candidate for WLS. I was approved in 24 hours. Maybe your PCP could do the same for you. Just a thot'... Good Luck
   — Cindee A.

November 8, 2001
Have you ever been on any weight loss programs such a Jenny Craig, weight watchers, etc? If so they should have documented attempts. Also List the clinic that lost your records, they may be able to at least write you a letter of your attempt. Also your PCP should be able to write them a letter and tell them that you have been her patient and she has helped you with weight issues. Pray she documented that you at least discussed your obesity. Get a copy of your medical records from her and go through them and highlight everytime it says obesity, hopefully there are several. Good Luck!
   — Lynda T.

November 8, 2001
Go to ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/wgtloss.pdf it is a brochure put out by the Federal Trade Commission. The brouchure has a Personal health Profile and Check list. Fill this out for each of the diets you have been on. You will need to get copies of medical records and fill in as much medical information as you can ie...blood pressure. This will show them that while you were on that diet you were also seeing your doctor. As far as I am concerned if you are seeing a doctor and trying to lose weight then it should be consider medically supervised. When I got copies of my records I was so pleased to see the doctor at least made notes stating I was on WW or Atkins. You really never know what they have written until you get copies of the records. Most of us are under the doctors care for something, and we have all tried just about every diet under the sun. I think we just need to get the insurance companies to see the two things together. I know that they could do it, but then they would have to approve more surgeries and do more work. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out.
   — Kathy P.

November 9, 2001
This part of the process freaked me out the most also. I only had 2 documented weight loss attempts. One was Jenny Craig for only 1 month, 10 years ago. The other was when my OB/GYN put me on Phentermine (diet pills) after my 2nd baby was born. I was only on the pills for 30 days also. My insurance, Aetna, approved me in 24 hours. But I also listed any unsupervised attempts...ie..Slimfast, low carb diets, low calorie diets, excercise etc. Good Luck!!
   — skymaxjr

November 9, 2001
I was SO scared that I'd be denied because of my diet attempts. I didn't have record of any supervised diets except for one time that I went to see a nutritionist. I went to see her once, and that was it. All my other diet attempts I tried were things like Slim Fast, Atkins Diet, etc. I was approved with no problems in about four weeks. You'll be fine. :)
   — [Anonymous]

November 10, 2001
I had to list my diet history as well to be approved. I went back as far as I could remember and listed every diet I had ever been on and the weight that I lost and regained. I made a diet history from the age of 11. Only 3 were documented and they were only for 2-3 months total of all three. I also have an HMO and had to really do alot of leg work to get it approved. Keep working. If you would like I will e-mail you a copy of my diet history that I submitted to insurance. Karen
   — Karen V.