when I first started the process I emailed my insurance Carefirst BCBS and they told me I could use weight watchers or jenny craig to satisfy my diet programs requirement. My surgeon said usually Insurance want to see a more structured program but he was going to try to submit my paperwork and see what happens..has anyone been approved using one of those diet programs instead of meeting with a nutritionist?

That doesn't count for insurance purposes. You need to be on a doctor supervised diet, with the doctor recording your measurements monthly.

16 minutes ago, SteveT74 said:

That doesn't count for insurance purposes. You need to be on a doctor supervised diet, with the doctor recording your measurements monthly.

But everyone's ins requirements could be different....especially if the OP called her ins and they told her this

1 minute ago, CurvyMom said:

But everyone's ins requirements could be different....especially if the OP called her ins and they told her this

yea ima basically wait and see what happens since it is listed in my approved programs. I went ahead and started a program with a dietician service just in case they had a prob with ww but I dont get measured monthly with my bariatric dietician services either, they just take my weight..

The ins requirements for 6 month weight loss program is BS since there is no science to back it up. It's a barrier only. Since you're at a 39 BMI, you don't want to actually loose much weight on this diet. If you have co-morbidities you probably have to keep your weight so that you are over 35 when the request for ins. approval goes in. If you don't have co-morbidities, you're on the bubble as is and you don't want to lose any weight or you'll be at risk for rejection. You also don't want to gain weight since that can be a disqualifier too. The irony of all of this was that for my 6 month diet, I was worried about losing weight and getting disqualified. That says it all when it comes to this stupid requirement.

16 minutes ago, SteveT74 said:

The ins requirements for 6 month weight loss program is BS since there is no science to back it up. It's a barrier only. Since you're at a 39 BMI, you don't want to actually loose much weight on this diet. If you have co-morbidities you probably have to keep your weight so that you are over 35 when the request for ins. approval goes in. If you don't have co-morbidities, you're on the bubble as is and you don't want to lose any weight or you'll be at risk for rejection. You also don't want to gain weight since that can be a disqualifier too. The irony of all of this was that for my 6 month diet, I was worried about losing weight and getting disqualified. That says it all when it comes to this stupid requirement.

completely agree my dietician actually told me to not lose so much weight b/c then i wont qualify.. its damn if u do damned if u dont...

quick update for anyone with my insurance with this question in the future..My Insurance approved my surgery with my 3 months with an online dietician and 3 months of Weightwaters.com... They told me I couldve done the 6 months of ww which wouldve been sooo much cheaper but hopefully this will save someone a few bucks

I just started the process and i have to do ww. For 6 months. When did a you all set up appointments to meet with your surgeon?? And i heard people had medical teams of like a nutritionist. A therapist and stuff like that. I feel like im missing steps. Im saving for surgery in Mexico because i feel like my insurance will play me at the end of all this hard work. Ill keep u all posted. Im such a noob with all of this and i feel like my insurance have given me the run around.

if ur going to mexico and paying out of pocket u dont need to do any of this you just contact whichever surgeon u choose and they will make sure u qualify...i thought my insurance was going to deny me at first too but i was surprised they didnt. I was going to go to mexico if they denied as well...I went a surgeon in july of 2018 before I started anything but I contacted via email my insurance first to see if they covered it, get a list of surgeons in my network and get all the requirements they need to get approved to wls. u should contact ur insurance first b/c not all insurance are satisfied with wwatchers ..goodluck

I really don't get that requirement like if we could lose weight on our own we wouldn't be having surgery and obviously they can see your struggles with weight and your co-morbidities.. no diet has worked before why will it now...... So glad in Australia all I've had to do was see Dr then surgeon then Dietician then have surgery... No silly weight loss plans or psychological BS...

I used WW as part of my 6 months