Psych Eval 101

I've noticed a lot of posts from people who had negative psych evals that kept them from getting surgery...or they worried would keep them from surgery. So, a few tips...

Ask your bariatric surgeon to refer you to a psychiatrist they've worked with. These people are generally 'on board' with the idea of WLS and they know how to write the evaluation so insurance will approve the WLS.

If they can't refer you, when you call to make an appointment with one, tell them you need this referral for WLS preop requirements and feel them out about their mindset regarding WLS. You can even ask them if they've done referrals like this before.

After you get the evaluation done, get a copy of the report. It is your right.

If you feel the report is biased against WLS (because the psych came up with all kinds of excuses that make you not a good candidate), get a second opinion...or a third, even if you have to pay for it yourself. You can submit these to your insurance agency (the one usually requiring the psych eval) on appeal.

For the most part, these evals are merely a formality and what they're looking for is evidence that the person has an eating disorder (e.g. bulimia) that will not bode well for a good post WLS outcome.

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