Question:
What is a nutritional evaluation?

I have been denied due to lack of nutritional evaluation, psych evaluation, and supervised diet. I was expecting the psych and diet, but have never heard of a nutritional evaluation. I have seen a dietician in the past and they did receive documentation of that, but could not go for psych until Cigna approves it.    — bubbleboo K. (posted on May 5, 2003)

May 5, 2003
I went through GIGNA PPO and had to pay for my own Psyc eval. Good Lux
   — Robert L.

May 5, 2003
I have CIGNA, too, and paid for the psych eval and nutrition consult out of pocket ($165 total). It was worth it just to speed things up.
   — duane B.

May 6, 2003
My understanding is that they want you to see a nutritionist specifically regarding the surgery and post-op food requirements - so you know what you're getting yourself into, and so that you will not do it "wrong" and wind up with complications. I had diabetic education a year ago, and that consultation would obviously not be the same as what the nutritionist will tell me about my postop nutrition needs. That is probably what they mean, but I'd call them to get specifics. Most surgeons have someone they refer you to, so you can ask them. I think it might have been better to not ask for the authorization if you knew you didn't have all your ducks in a row, because now they will consider your future activity on this request an "appeal" and you will have a limited number of appeals. Hope I'm wrong on this!
   — bethybb

May 6, 2003
A nutritional evaluation just means a meeting with a nutritionist to evaluate how you have been eating and to make sure that you understand your post op diet. Very simple and painless.
   — Carol S.