past diet info

lilnora2 · February 24, 2008

I am going to my 1st appointment 2/25/08 and I am worried that I do not have enough information about past diets that I have tried. I have seen many doctors for weight lost but not since my insurance stop covering weight loss progams only surgery. I don't have any doctor information just self diet plans like slim fast and over the counter drugs, any suggestions on what to do?:confused2:

KayBeeAZ · February 24, 2008

I am new at this also and am in a similar situation. I will watch for replies.

Elisabethsew · February 24, 2008

Most of the surgeons have sample letters that show what the insurance companies are looking for. Call and ask the office people if they have one to share with you. I got mine when I went for the required meeting with the dietician.

Dee66 · February 24, 2008

Hi. I begun my journey with my first visit to the surgeon on Jan 22. Like you, I had questions regarding the insurance company & their coverage. I called BC/BS of NJ before going and they were really informative. I was told, like you, that I needed 6 months of medically supervised weight loss plans. I was a little bummed since the last medically supervised program I was on was back in the early 1990's! While I was surfing on this site, and waiting to see if the hospital had those almost 20 year records (which they didn't), I had seen someone else was going through the same thing. One of the suggestions on this board was to just go to your PC doctor once a month, get weighed and talk about different weight loss plans. Make sure you tell your Dr that he/she need to write those notes in your chart specifically about weight loss plans. Good thing I read that little blog because I am soon going to be on month 3 of weigh in's. It was a good thing that I did that because those hospital records were never found. My surgeon's office was really helpful with this and told me that they would write down my visit with them as just an office visit so that the ins would cover the visit. I was told that even if the doctors were in my plan, they would not cover ANY appts until I was approved. I explained all this to the Psyc, Pulm, and Cardio docors. I took a chance and went to see 2 out of the 3 so far and everything has been approved. I really did take a chance and I wouldn't recommend that chance to anyone. I was just really up front and honest with the office managers in the doctors offices telling them that there could be a chance I wouldn't be covered since I wasn't approved yet and they worked the magic that they do with those codes! At least make your appts so that you have them cause it could take a while to be seen. Start by going to see your PCP and charting those weights once a month. Don't ever see anything as a set back, just keep pushing through & getting all your information. Get a notebook, keep notes and especially get names and dates of people that you speak with at the insurance company. This is a great place to come for advice because people have either gone through it or are just like you and I beginning our journey's! I hope this helps. Hang in there!