So, I had my first consult with my surgeon yesterday and found out all my requirements to be approved for surgery. Besides a nutritionist visit and psych eval I have to do blood work, EKG, chest x-ray and gallbladder ultrasound, and a urine test. Insurance also requires six months of supervised weight loss and history of failed weight loss. I'm clear about everything except this. What exactly is insurance looking for for the failed weight loss?

You have to be on a doctor monitored diet that doesn't work. Make 6 monthly appointments with your primary care or family doctor and they put you on a diet (my insurance wouldn't take Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc.), and the diet doesn't work. You lose a "little" weight but not enough to make an impact.

Mine asked what programs I tried and if I succeeded with weight loss. Some examples are Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, nutritionist and on your own.

I think it means....can you document that you've been seriously overweight for a number of years. Can you name some of the diets you've tried in the past.

Sometimes insurance companies will turn down people who have been morbidly obese for less than two years.

Your best answer will come from your insurance company, email them through their online portal - create a login, and ask them specific questions. For instance - do Weight Watchers records count, do Dr visit doscussions on weight plus weigh-in count, how many months of records suffice. Also ask - if I lose or gain weight during the 6 month supervised visits disqualify me for surgery, what bmi qualifies for surgery - do you determine this from starting bmi or after 6 months? What other issues would cause disqualification - if I gain one month, but have a net loss of 2 pounds is that acceptable?

Forum answers can only give you OUR insurance /surgeon experiences. Good luck.

When I first had my VSG, they wanted just a list of various diets I have tried but they also wanted documentation of my weight recorded over some time. I ended up getting my medical records from my gynecologist & primary physician.

I also sent over my log of how often I was going to the gym during that time (most gyms keep an online catalog that you can access as well).

I also just needed to list various diets I had tried in the past, including the usual suspects--Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, things I did on my own, etc. I've been overweight/obese/morbidly obese for decades, so had no issue with that . . .