Question:
How long would it take for Lindstrom to contact my insurance company?

If I were to hire Walter Lindstrom to represent me in an appeal against my insurance company, about how long would it take...lets say from the time I contact him, until the time he contacts my ins. company? One more question...do you think I should appeal by myself first, and then contact him if my appeal is denied, or contact him right away. I have anthem BCBS, and if I am denied (will find out next week, but I think I will), it will either be becuase they don't see it as medically nec. or because not enough DR. supervised WL attempts. Thanks    — Sarah P. (posted on April 13, 2002)

April 13, 2002
I have Anthem and they accepted a notarized letter from a friend I went to Weight Watchers with. I also had a Dr's record that he had charted I was in Weight Watchers and they accepted it. They did attempt to deny the appeal but had changed the ctiteria from medically necessary when I questioned them on that they reversed the decision saying they viewed the wrong Anthem policy. Good Luck.
   — Candace F.

April 13, 2002
I was denied 3 times and now I have to appeal to the state. Mr. Lindstrom told me that I should of contacted him after the first or second denial. It seems it is more costly and harder if they have to appeal to the state. I am appealing on my own to the state. Good luck to you!
   — Luisa H.

April 15, 2002
Well if you are like me and most other Anthem BC/BS subscribers, they will deny you if you don't have 12 consecutive months of Dr. Supervised diet. I tried doing the level 1 appeal on my own, and was denied a 2nd time. Then I hired Walter Lindstrom to do the 2nd level appeal. It took about a month, but I had a scheduled date to present my appeal to them. He faxed over my 28 page appeal letter, which was very detailed and complete with legal case histories, on Friday and I was approved on the following wednesday (the day of my level 2 appeal) without me even having to present anything over the phone. It cost me $350 and was well worth every cent. (I opted for the lesser expensive representation option). If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't have wasted my time, and what ammounted to about 3 months, trying to do my own first appeal. I put together a lot of pages of medical records supporting all the sporadic diets, and up and down yo-yo weight ins, plus all the comorbidities, and they still stuck to their "no evidence of 12 consecutive months of Dr. Monitored diet". So unless you have that, I would recommend to just hire him first.
   — Dell H.