$18K Out of Pocket or wait a year for full insurance coverage or just diet?

[ShoppGirl 5,068]

Of course that’s a decision only you can make but I wouldn’t worry about your weight getting worse. If you do wait for insurance it doesn’t mean you can’t start making a lot of changes now that will help you lose a good deal of weight while you are waiting. I have seen people on here lose big chunks before their surgery. I would start working with a nutritionist that your team recommends NOW and Start working on the other requirements. If the psychiatrist finds any disordered eating patterns you will want time to work on those and be in such a better place post op if you have done so before your surgery.

[blackcatsandbaddecisions 853]

I ended up waiting almost two years from when I first reached out to my center, because of concerns about complications if I went a self pay route. I could for sure have written a check but I wanted the additional peace of mind. I was really annoyed at first about the waiting period and hoops I had to jump through to get qualified but in retrospect I’m glad I had them. I ended up losing weight prior to surgery, which helped me get ready for the lifestyle change and be more prepared for recovery, and I had enough time to be certain over and over that I was making the right call.

I understand once a decision is made that it is frustrating to wait, but honestly if you have the option to get insurance to pay I’d always go that route. Also glad I didn’t fork out the cash for self pay because 2 years post op I ended up using those funds for skin removal, haha.