so, I am just starting this journey and with my insurance, I will have to participate in a weight loss program for 6 months. With that, it will be mid-July once I finish the supervised program and then I assume I will have to wait for approval from the insurance company. Anyone have to participate in this long of a program? how long after you completed it did you have to wait for the actual approval and surgery?

I have to admit that I have contemplated self pay rather than having to wait what sounds like it will be a year but I don't know that I can afford it. Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated

thanks

I had my first consultation in March and was sleeved the end of July. My insurance required a 3-month supervised nutrition program.

I recommend taking the time required for your supervised diet to begin making your lifestyle changes such as lowering calorie intake, walking and exercising more, stop drinking carbonated beverages, quit caffeine, and so on.

Making many lifestyle changes of several months will be much easier than making them all right before surgery. Also, insurance companies go by your initial BMI, so even if you lose significant weight before surgery, they will not turn around and deny you. In fact, many insurance companies will deny you if you gain even a pound from your first consultation.

I had my first consultation in March and was sleeved the end of July. My insurance required a 3-month supervised nutrition program.

I recommend taking the time required for your supervised diet to begin making your lifestyle changes such as lowering calorie intake, walking and exercising more, stop drinking carbonated beverages, quit caffeine, and so on.

Making many lifestyle changes of several months will be much easier than making them all right before surgery. Also, insurance companies go by your initial BMI, so even if you lose significant weight before surgery, they will not turn around and deny you. In fact, many insurance companies will deny you if you gain even a pound from your first consultation.

actually my insurance company goes by your BMI each time you are seen. So, my BMI has to stay above 35 during my supervised diet program or I will no longer be eligible. Which really sucks. I can't work on changing my lifestyle much for the next 6 months because if I lose much weight I will drop below 35. As it is my BMI is 36.2

I went to a information seminar in the last week of June. I had my first appt with the surgeon the first week of July. I went to my last appt before getting approval Dec 2 and I was approved on the 8th. I had surgery 12/29/2014. I was glad it took that much time. I would not have been ready for this without the appts and time to make changes. I used the time to give up pop, caffeine, and make other life style changes.

actually my insurance company goes by your BMI each time you are seen. So, my BMI has to stay above 35 during my supervised diet program or I will no longer be eligible. Which really sucks. I can't work on changing my lifestyle much for the next 6 months because if I lose much weight I will drop below 35. As it is my BMI is 36.2

I'm sorry to hear that. That really is counter-productive for your insurance company to operate that way. But I'm glad you're aware of what your insurance requires. Best of luck to you!

I have to have 6 months of medically supervised weight loss before my insurance will approve me, too. It isn't really 6 months, though. I have 6 weight checks, but my first one was on my consult day and then #2 was a month later. (make sense?) I am currently about to have my 3rd weigh in -in just a week. It sucks to wait, but in the meantime, I am learning to eat slower, eat more protien, eat less sugar, and drink more Water. All which you have to do post surgery.

I had to wait almost 3 years as had a denial on trial 1 and 2 then when I was least expecting it.... whoop whoop I was approved. I had a BMI of 39.5 which is slightly less than what the insurance co would approve. They saved money by doing the WLS instead of hip replacement I think. I am so much healthier over all too! It was worth the wait and education pre op! Best wishes on your journey!

Yes, had to do 6 months of meetings with in house dietician, along with all the other tests, requirements before submitting to insurance for approval. Once approved, schedule surgery. From orientation to surgery, 9 months. It gave me plenty of time to learn and research what I was getting myself into. No regrets so far. It'll be worth the wait. Good luck!

I went to the seminar in september 2014 had surgery October 1 2014.I Was self pay in Mexico. Dr Verboonen

@ I am also in the 6 month supervised weight loss. I hope time passes quickly & good luck on your journey.

@ NewMeLinZ - I am trying the same approach to get ready for the new lifestyle. I have given up all carbonated drinks. So far so good. I am on my second weigh in today. Good luck on your journey!

I have to have 6 months of medically supervised weight loss before my insurance will approve me, too. It isn't really 6 months, though. I have 6 weight checks, but my first one was on my consult day and then #2 was a month later. (make sense?) I am currently about to have my 3rd weigh in -in just a week. It sucks to wait, but in the meantime, I am learning to eat slower, eat more protien, eat less sugar, and drink more Water. All which you have to do post surgery.

My insurance also required the 6 month medically supervised diet which really ended up being 7 months. I attended the WLS seminar & my first PCP visit in December 2013. I was finished with my supervised diet by June (paperwork wasn't sent until July due to an oversight at my surgeon's office). I learned of my approval in mid-August & surgery was scheduled for September 22. I changed my surgery date to November 24, 2014 because it was more convenient. I figured I'd waited so long at that point that 2 months longer wouldn't kill me . So I waited almost a year from the start of my process to the finish line but it was so well worth it because I was more than prepared for all of the changes that I'd be making. I did have sleep apnea and high blood pressure so I'm sure those issues impacted my quick approval.

Good luck to you.

I just had my first info visit this past week and was told my insurance (BCBS federal)only requires 3 mos of supervised weigh-ins and nutritional counseling. The person said it doesn't matter whether I lose on it or not; they just require the 3 mos. to prepare you for afterward. My BMI is 39.7 so it's not an automatic approval. I have high BP but it's controlled by meds right now so she said that's not automatic either.

I go back next week for a doctor appt and my first nutritional meeting, then they will schedule the upper endoscopy and psych eval. By the time those are completed, and the nutritional meetings hopefully I'll be looking at June for surgery, which is perfect for my job as well, since right now someone is out on maternity leave and another person is taking a big trip to Africa right when the mom comes back. (Small company, doesn't qualify for Family Medical Leave, etc and since this is elective at this point i'm trying to be cooperative)

that 7-10 year wait is almost ungodly; especially if someone wanting to do it is literally going to die without the surgery. what a shame.

My parents have a good friend from Canada who has heart health issues. He actually travels to the US to see a cardiologist because the wait in Canada is so long when he has problems. He'd be dead by the time he got in to his regular doctor.

But get used to it folks....that's where we are headed with our national healthcare system. And that's just for the procedures the insurance companies will actually approve. If some pencil pushing bureaucrat doesn't think you need an MRI or myelogram CT to diagnose neurologic deficits in your neck or a fecal transplant to cure a C. diff infection or WLS surgery to cure obesity, then you aren't getting them. Unless you pay for everything yourself and prove they were necessary and successful, but then what's the point of insurance? Oh, yea, so the pencil pushing bureaucrat can get a paycheck!

I'm not sure about the health care system in the USA but I can say that I'm pretty proud to be Canadian and the healthcare system that we have. I come from a larger town in Canada with many choices of hospitals, all of which give excellent care. The 7-10 year weight thing is absurd and is even embarrassing just to read. I'm sure if you travelled to a bigger town, you may see that timeframe come down to 6 months to a year, and for free! Long live Canada! Lol

Hi, i finished my 6 months of weight checks on June 9 and am still waiting, kinda patiently lol, for my approval! I am super excited about this and that makes it alil bit harder to be patient i think!

I completed the 6 months supervised weight loss classes and had my surgery the next week. The way my scheduler pushed it through was to say I was scheduled for surgery one week after finishing classes. Then the insurance company put me into the expedited slot. I was approved in 2 days. She does this for all of the patients so that the insurance companies don't make the patients wait months.