Hello everyone. I am just beginning my weight loss journey. I am 44 years old and a type II Diabetic who is insulin dependent. I don't want to be on insulin for the rest of my life; I'm ready to commit to my life change! I have my first consultation on Oct 15th. Does anyone know how hard it is to get approved through Cigna? And how long does it normally take to have surgery? I see everyone on here talking about 6 months waiting period, I was wondering if that is the standard. I'm so ready to be off of insulin and get into better shape!

Thanks,

Jodi

Hi Jodi! Great to meet you. I'm just starting out too.

I worked as a precert coordinator at Cigna so I kinda know the ropes on the inside....that's why I'm skipping Cigna and going to Mexico for my bypass (but that's another story).

All I can say is

1. Make sure is covered in your plan.

2. Follow the prerequisites to a T. Specialists, bloodwork, etc.

3. Check and recheck to make sure that your documents reached where they are supposed togo. Confirm fax #s, etc. Call frequently to be sure.

4. Be patient. Clinical review can take some time- more time for some, not for others.

5. If for some reason you are denied, don't quit. Obtain a letter of medical necessityand try again.

Hope this helps. I'm not a Cigna insurance guru- I just know a little about the process and I'm opting to skip the hassle.

Best wishes

Welcome! I don't have the same insurance as you, but I was required to complete six months of weekly classes, weigh ins, and food logs as a part of my requirements. Factoring in all the other hoops I had to jump through it took me an entire year to get to surgery.

Luckily that length of time seems more of an exception than the norm, for most other insurance companies. I've even seen some get to surgery in three months or less.

And I absolutely would do it all over again if I had to, in a second! It's worth the wait no matter how long it takes. Good luck!

Hi there! I'm a newbie too and what I've learned is that insurance varies from company to company. Also, it depends on what kind of coverage your employer chooses to buy each year. So if you have Cigna it may be entirely different than someone else's Cigna. Maybe a lot better. I've also learned from my own situation that some doctors will require longer medical supervision than others. I ran into that this week when I had insurance helpers at each doctor's office calling each other ignorant and me a liar. Good times ! I rally laugh about it now because I called the insurance company directly and the very helpful lady read me the exact part of the policy. It basically said that it was up to the doctor! I guess what I'm saying is there are some days when you just have to research and nudge things along. I believe that each doctor is doing what they think is best for the patient. I have a high BMI, 52, so my doctor is only requiring one month. I lucked out on that. But if I gain any weight during that one month, they will deny coverage. So I'm educating myself like crazy and following the one month program and have lost about 9 pounds. No denials please! It's helping me organize my kitchen for my new way of life. I have my psychological test on Monday. I already talked to my psychiatrist about it - I have really bad depressive episodes. My doctors are all in agreement I need it but I'm still nervous about monday because it is with a psychologist I've never met. It's through the insurance. Oh, I've gone on for too long! Welcome! Everyone is so awesome in this forum.