Anyone approved w/o 6-12mo documented weight loss attempts by DR?

Thread Starter  

Was just wondering if anyone had been approved by their insurance company without a consecutive diet trail. Will letters of "recommendation" from your doctors work? I have dieted for YEARS, just don't have it written in a chart every month.

If you were approved, how did you do it?

Thanks!

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Dr. Benevides, Richardson, TX
Surgery Date June 5, 2006
Proud Member of Jacks Harem
7/11 .6 cc 8/2 1.2 cc 12/26 -.4 cc .8 3/12 +.6 cc 1.4 4/9 +.3 cc 1.7 5/3 -.4cc 1.3 6/12 +.2 1.5 6/27 +1 11/07 Total unfill, band slip... 12/07 +1 1/08 +.5 = 1.5cc

went in for my initial consult Feb 22. Had my surgery May 23rd. No paper trail for me. All smooth sailing. It wish it was as easy for everyone else. No arguing with insurance companies, no appeals, etc

Good Luck

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Banded May 23, 2005
Boston, MA

I have UHC also and I had to write down my weight loss attempts, but they didn't require any proof of participation. Good luck with your approval! :)

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Anne

285/216.5/150

Banded: 7/26/05
Slippage, New Band: 3/21/06
Port Revision: 7/11/06

Same here with UHC. No proof of dieting necessary. Three months from consult to surgery.

No proof of dieting for me. I have UHC also. Went in for consult on Oct. 14 and I am having surgery tomorrow!

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BANDED NOV 9, 2005
Dr. Spivak, Houston, TX
size 26/28 before
size 10 now :)
365/329/172
highest/surgery/current

Well I am UHC person also and when I sent my package in to the dr he asked for a list of diets but that is all I ever gave him nothing else.

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Kim
Dr. Voellinger, Charlotte, NC
Banded June 13, 2005
Band Filled - 0 (deflated due to ulcer)

Starting 316.8

Obviously different carriers have different levels of required information. I had Aetna, and they did indeed have that 6-mo diet proof requirement. I satisfied it by having my doctor show that I'd sought help with my weight more than a year before, and that on every visit since then the subject of my weight had come up. It didn't start out as a formal attempt at creating a paper trail, but it showed a sincere attempt to deal with my weight issues as a medical condition. I ended up being diagnosed hypothyroid as a result of my initial visits, and at the end of the year I'd come to the conclusion that banding was a realistic option for me. (I'd not even heard of it when I first went to my doctor about my weight and the way I was feeling. I originally wanted to know if there were any new drugs I might take.)

Weight has been an issue for me my entire adult life, so any doctor's notes from any point will show some discussion/concern about my weight. It wasn't at all hard to show that it'd been on my agenda for six months.

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~~ Alexandra
banded 8/20/03 -- Dr. Abkin, Morristown NJ
band removed 4/9/07 due to slippage REbanded 8/13/07

340 highest / 210-ish lowest / 255-ish now / 200? maybe?
5'10" -- size 28/30 then, 16/18 now, heading downward once again

That was probably for his own information. All bariatric surgeons want to be confident their patients aren't coming to them as a FIRST resort.

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~~ Alexandra
banded 8/20/03 -- Dr. Abkin, Morristown NJ
band removed 4/9/07 due to slippage REbanded 8/13/07

340 highest / 210-ish lowest / 255-ish now / 200? maybe?
5'10" -- size 28/30 then, 16/18 now, heading downward once again

healthnet, they required proof of weight loss attempts but if you have been over weight the last five years just going to the doctor for a check up and they write down your weight. healthnet will take that.

blue cross didn't ask for 6 months from me just a letter from my Dr.

took 2and 1/2 weeks and got approval surgery date DEC 8th

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Tess L
12/8/05 Dr Fiallo- Massachusetts
Revised to VGB.05/17/06 Dr Hagg
h218/s216/r182/c190:cry /g150
5'3"
Peoples Choice Ideal Weight:148
someday!

Thread Starter  

I go to my PCP on Tuesday, for my second month of stuff. I am going to give them the medical records request then so that they can at least send two months of things. I sure hope things go smoothly from there. Really wanted to have this done over Christmas break, but don't think that will happen. I can always keep my hopes up though!

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Dr. Benevides, Richardson, TX
Surgery Date June 5, 2006
Proud Member of Jacks Harem
7/11 .6 cc 8/2 1.2 cc 12/26 -.4 cc .8 3/12 +.6 cc 1.4 4/9 +.3 cc 1.7 5/3 -.4cc 1.3 6/12 +.2 1.5 6/27 +1 11/07 Total unfill, band slip... 12/07 +1 1/08 +.5 = 1.5cc

Cigna paid for mine, twice... I only had to list diet attempts and history, but no consecutive Dr Supervised info was required. Of course, each doc is different, each insurance co. is different and times have changed since I was banded.

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LAP-BAND^® -5-27-2003 Albert Wetter, San Francisco
Rebanded due to slippage - July, 2004 Frank Veninga - Dallas, Texas
Gallbladder removed - August, 2004
Revised to RNY - Dec, 27, 2007 Wade Barker - Dallas, Texas

Beginning - 250
Current - 175
Goal - 135

Remember each year the policies change. I know of one insurance company that did not require a 6 month diet last year but is requiring it in 2006.

I only had to outline all the diets and weight loss attempts and help I received. In my case I could approximate dates and methods over 25 years. I didn't need "real" documentation. I have QualCare.

I have pacificare, and I did not have to do any type of documentation with dieting.