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HI KPlant:
When you say 40%, do you mean your BMI is 40? My insurance used a BMI of 40 as a cut-off. 30 - 40 BMI you needed at least 2 co-morbidities (hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes, etc)
The order I did my pre-op was dictated by the Bariatric Center of Excellence that was in my insurance plan required. The ONLY way I could get into the program was to start by doing to a learning seminar to learn about the band, options, meet the surgeon, etc. I was a group thing, and they gave lots of statistics and information on insurances, etc.
After that, I could make an appointment with a dietitan. I then was able to make an appointment with the psychologist. My insurance required a 3-month supervised diet within the last 2 years, and since I had given up on dieting, I had to do that.
I had to provide 2 years medical records, and a letter of recommendation from my primary care physician.
Once ALL that info provided, passed the pysch visit, proved I could successfully alter my eating habits by loosing weight on the supervised diet and follow their recommendations - like trying protein shakes, buying chewable multivits, etc, and kept all my appointments -- would they submit my case to insurance.
Those months were agonizing, since with a BMI of 54, multiple co-morbidities, and motivation to succeed, I KNEW I was going to be approved. But I had to go through the painfully slow process anyway.
Once my insurance approved, then, and only then, was I allowed to make the consult apt with the surgeon. That wait was also agonizing.
I had thought I would be banded by January - then Feb....etc.
Now that's it over, I realize that it was important to go through this process to reallly learn about the band, adjust my lifestyle, and appreciate the seriousness of what I wanted to do.
But I wouldn't have said that a couple months ago!
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