I attended the seminar last Thursday. What's next? A nutrition intake? Then what?

unless you are a self pay, you should contact your insurance company to start the ball rolling. figure out what they require, then contact your primary care physician and see if she will write a letter for you to say you need the surgery. then you should contact the surgeon's office and see what they require. my surgeon required a psych eval (using one of his psychiatrists) a nutrition eval (using his nutritionist), a nurse consult (yes with his nurse). my insurance required only that i had a bmi over 40 and nothing else. you should really start with your insurance company and then go from there. at my seminar, they gave me a checklist of everything the surgeon would require. i just went down the checklist and got it all done.

Every surgeon and every ins company will be different.

I went to a consult with the surgeon (one-on-one , no seminar), then went on Atkins for 2 weeks pre-op diet, then had surgery.

unless you are a self pay, you should contact your insurance company to start the ball rolling. figure out what they require

My insurance said all I need is the BMI over 40 and doctor's authorization. I'm just worried my doctor won't authorize it. Or do they the mean the surgeon's authorization?

they mean your Primary care doctor. Most surgeons would operate on pretty much anyone as long as they are getting paid. your general doctor would need to give the OK. if you think your general doctor won't approve, then go ahead and call the surgeon's office and ask them if they can recommend a Primary Care doctor for you to get authorization from. But if your BMI is over 40, most likely your PCP will say it's ok.

For me the next step was the education session and that you started on what your surgeon needs you to do to qualify for insurance or if you are self pay what tests the surgeon needs you to do for that. Honestly it all depends on the office, so I would give them a call.

But if your BMI is over 40, most likely your PCP will say it's ok.

It's not over 40, it's exactly 40.

well, i meant to say 40 or over. 40 is apparently the point at which a BMI means death is not far behind. I don't personally believe that, but your doctor may be convinced of it. I would just give them a call and see what they say. I know my insurance requires 40 and above BMI, so I assume it's the same with most insurance carriers.