I know I've asked about this topic a few time's now, But I finally have appointment's this week with my PCP and OB in which I plan on bringing up the letter and my plans for WLS with them while I'm there. My PCP I've only been with her for about 3years and have seen a handful of time's so I thought it was important to sit and talk with her about thing's instead of just faxing over the letter and expecting her to sign it. My OB should have records from my last Dr which date back to early 2009 so I'm hoping she has no issue in signing it for me.

I guess my worry here is that the "Sample Letter" my surgeon gave me to give to the Dr's list a whole slue of thing's they won't be able to provide like 5 year's worth of weigh-ins (My OB yes but the PCP no), one part say's "I have personally supervised Mr/Ms.______ in his/her efforts to lose weight thru diet and exercise" (And obviously neither Dr has done so), and it goes on to ask for a list of diets and exercise..

I'm hoping both Dr's agree that the VSG is the right solution to my weight, But neither have known me for a long period of time or long enough to know I've been overweight since I was a child so I worry they will be against it. How important is this letter regarding the insurance approval and should I be worried that I don't have 5 years of recorded weight from my PCP, or records of me ever going to her with weight related issues?

Appointment with my PCP is tomorrow at 9:20am, Wish me luck!

@@Dulce_jtrivera

Just an update.

Went to the OB today and she was more then happy to fill out my letter of medical necessity.

@ Halloweenbaby24

I figure a doctor,is a doctor and as long as they have your weight that should be good.

I went to a registered dietician, I don't have a PCP and I'm hoping all my documentation will be accepted by my insurance co. Because I read their policy and no where in the list of needed info for WLS did it say it had to be from a certain kind of physician... "medical documentation " , so I'm hoping I'm ok. I meet with the surgeon this Friday, and before hand I already submitted the paperwork to the patient advocate, who had a nurse look over it before scheduling this meeting. So my fingers are crossed!!!!

I've never heard of having to have 5 years of weigh-ins. Is that a normal insurance thing? I thought the requirements were usually just the 3 or 6 month supervised diet?

@@HalloweenBaby24

That is great! I will let you know how my appointment goes, it's next Tuesday... excited but nervous. Keep your fingers crossed!

@@Sunnyskies2283

My insurance requires five years of weight history, you can get it from multiple doctors. They don't require the supervised diet or 6 months of weigh ins, just the history.

Guess who got a letter? ..... ME!!! I am so relieved and ecstatic! I can't stop smiling Woohoo! Just wanted to update everyone and share my happiness with someone. Yay me!

I jumped all the hoops I was told I needed to enable me to submit my paperwork to ins (BCBS). Get all done and think I should be good to go and the facilitator asked me if I had my two years of weight history. WTF? First I had heard of it! So I had to go back to 2012 and 2013 and find doctors that I had seen to see if they had my weight recorded in their chart notes. I also checked with Weight Watchers. Apparently the ins will accept their file records also. Long story short I did get the needed support evidence to show that I have been overweight for at least 3 years. But I was sweating bullets when I first heard of this requirement. Check with your facilitator or ins company to see if this is a necessary step for you. MIT delayed me submitting my paperwork cuz I had to chase down the additional information at the last minute. Weight watchers is used to this request. They were able to find my records across multiple states. WOW....

When I asked WW for records of mine they claimed they looked through each state in which I had "Supposedly" been a member and couldn't find anything. Said if it was past 3 years most likely the records were erased. Every insurance is different (I have BCBS ppo of Mass), thankfully I found past weights of mind from 2000 when I first visited a dieticain at 12 due to high cholesterol, till 2008 when I had my gallbladder removed.

So I'm hoping that's enough for the insurance company.

Funny, the girl I talked to said they can go back 8 years or more. I was shocked I did not give her anything more then my name and the states I lived in. Nothing else and they still pulled up my records.