Nacol

your pcp can put in in their notes that your excerise routines were not working for a year. i was approved for surgery by bcbs in less than 4hrs once paperwork was sent in..... banded oct 11 2011

Thanks so much! I'm finally ready to make this step n want to be prepared for everything.

Thanks, I also have high blood pressure. When the lady from BCBS told me I needed this I went to my Dr to see if I could get this, and she said she never put it in her notes, but she is aware that we did speak on this issue, my Dr informed me that she would write a letter to BCBS and explain to them that I she has spoke to me about weight loss and some diets. I just hope that they will accept that.

Just wondering what the outcome was...?

How did you all cover the 1 year attempt at weight loss requirement?

"Evidence that attempts at weight loss in the 1 year

period prior to surgery have been ineffective"

I have been on/off WW since 2008, started going to the Gym in March/Personal Trainer.

My insurance acepted tha fact that I had done WW as fulfilling the requirement for stating the effort that you had put towards losing weight in the past calendar year. But they also required that I attend monthly nutritional and dieting sessions for three months.

I have BCBS federal standard.

Lots of good wishes to you in your journey to good health,

Melinda

I am on WW and have Fed BCBS Basic. What type of WW documentation did you have to provide (receipts, progress charts, etc)?

Syrup, you are not alone. I am feeling the same way. I lost 70 lbs on WW. But then I started studying for the CPA exam and gained back 40lbs by reverting to my old habits and not exercising. I am simply tired of the yo yo and I need to do something. WW works but who's to say something else will come into my life and I simply won't handle it well. I thought in the beginning that I would never be one of those people that let it come back but look at me now...I know I have it in me to do WW but I feel like I need more stability at the same time.

@Crecia1975, that's just what I needed to hear right now. I am not scheduled until Feb and the surgeon office is not submitting paperwork for approval until Jan, to give me time to complete the new requirements. I started reading the complications thread and oh my, doubt started creeping in.

Good to hear you are doing great with the lap band. I have been reading the complications thread and now I am getting scared/nervous/doubting this decision, etc. If all goes as planned, I am supposed to have the surger in early Feb next year. How did you all get past the doubts?

Did you ever hear from anyone on this...how did everything go for you with GEHA?

Hi, I have GEHA as well and Im just now starting my LAP-BAND® journey. I would like to know what was the process like for you to be approved with GEHA to have the surgery?

Im afraid I will be denied :sneaky: so me and my husband have looked into possibly financing the surgery or just paying for it on our credit card if I am denied.

Well, it's Open Season, and I am debating whether or not I should go with GEHA or FedBCBS Texas. I have been seeing various docs all year, because I had a time finding one that diagnosed my swollen leg/ankleas as Lymphedema...anyways, in the process I was put on lasik/phenteramine thinking it was possibly a Water or weight issue. I'm wondering if all this visits would even count? Anybody had any success with GEHA. Considering all the recent FedBCBS changs, GEHA is looking better and better.

Just an update, I go to my first Appointment on the 4th and also start seeing a nutritionalist on the 4th. I have the feeling that the surgeons office is going to try to hurry the process along, the wieght loss isnt going to be an issue because I dont have to starve for all that long and I do tend to drop the pounds very quickly (I also regain them just as fast). They have already checked with the Insurance company and IF the surgery is done this year they will cover it without all of the extra hoops, which I have actually met most of. The whole reason they have added them at all it to try to discourage people from getting the help that they need.:laugh: I think that in reality most of us are willing to do just about anything to cure us of the disease of obesity.

congrats, that sounds promising...

Im using True Results in Houston. the office has bee great...started in the Fort Worth office, they were good to..to bad I h moved from dew.

Hi, you are far ahead of me. I had the consultation, but need to change to Fed BCBS come Jan in order to have the surgery as planned in February. I was in the Navy a loooong time ago and had twins, messed up my beautiful body and it has been downhill since...I am here to give/receive support. I took the job I have now because it allows me to continue to travel whenever. So, I understand moving around completely.

anybody?? I am strongly considering him.

To speed up the process or accomodate for the upcoming changes, my Patient Advocate has started me on the WL program, set up appts with the nutrionist/pscyh in order to have the surgery in Feb.

I just got off the phone with customer service so I could find out my benefits and was told that after Jan 1, 2011 they where going to be tightening up their requirements for WLS and that in the furture patients will have to undergo supervised diet plans, ect, ect. The agent was a bit vague but now I am worried because there is no way that I will be having the surgery before that time. I could use advice about how to speed up the process.

I just read the Federal BCBS Texas brochure and yes, they have definately tightened up...

Based on the changes, looks like I need to go under a 3 month medically supervised WL program, get nutritional counseling, see psychiatrist, show evidence of WL attempts one year prior (not sure if they will take Weight Watchers), have a diagnosis of morbid obesity for 2 years prior to the surgery, etc. The brochure is on their website now.

I was planning / am going to chg to fed bcbs tx but they have made major changes to morbid obesity plans. It went from no real special requirements to a long list of 3 month dr weigh loss program, nutrition counseling, 1 year evidence of no weight loss. Just seems like a ton of stuff just to get approved. Not sure if it is even worth jumping thru all these hoops....this is how I got trapped the last time by losing a bunch of weight beforehand n then not getting the lap band. Just sux