Hey all!!

I am just starting out on my weight loss journey and wanted to see if anyone had any good tips or suggestions to make this an easy process. I have anthem BCBS and every time I’ve called about approval they haven’t mentioned about weigh ins or wait times just have your doctor send the request for approval. My first appointment with the surgeon, case manager, and nutritionist is May 14 and I know a lot of my questions will be answered then but I like to be prepared! Thanks in advance!

You can find more out about your insurance requirements by finding their policy bulletin on WLS, which should be on their website somewhere. There are many BCBS organizations around the country (at least one for each state, and it may not be the state that you live in, if the employer sponsoring the insurance is based in a different state. The bulletin should spell out precisely what they require to qualify for WLS, so you can get a jump on the program, and probably find more questions to ask when you go for your first appointment. The will usually have an insurance coordinator in the office (who may or may not be your case manager) but they will know the in's and out's of the different companies and their policies, and can read the language ("insurancese"). Some companies require some months (3-6 typically) of dieting and weigh ins before approval while others don't. Likewise, some surgeons or programs have a lot of hoops to jump through (classes, pre-op diets, exercise consults, etc) while others have very little.

It's all a "learning experience". Good luck,