Does anyone have any stories they can share of creative ways to get around the six month, dr. supervised diet that my insurance company requires? I can not wait six month, I need to get on that table ASAP!

I have Aetna and they required 6mths. My dr. has a nutritionist on staff and she took care of notating everything required by insurance. Not only do you have to diet but you have to make behavior changes. She monitored my weight and changes for the six months. I went to my insurance companies web site and did a search for articles on my surgery. All the requirements came up. Good luck. It was a long six months but my approval came quick and surgery was almost immediate after that.

Kelly dear, I don't mean to be unkind, but what you are talking about is not a little white lie - it is insurance fraud. And you've kind of just put in writing on a public forum that you are thinking about defrauding your insurance company. Eeek!

I hightly encourage you to get through the diet. It really, really will help you prepare for the band. Getting on the operating table doesn't fix everything, I promise you. It is still hard after the band to diet and exercise. If you work on the supervised diet, it will help you build habits that will make you much more successful. I think most bandsters on this forum would agree! Hang in there!

Yeah, you are right. I am just frustrated and needed to vent after the call I just got from the dr.

No way around it, the insurance company will be looking for "for treatment of weightloss"-ish coding, your check-ins, etc. from your medical records. If it's a requirement, it's a requirement, not a preference. Trust me, you don't want to try fraud, the consequences just aren't worth it, plus you'd need someone medical "on your side" and that's not going to happen.

I can not wait six month, I need to get on that table ASAP!

If waiting is absolutely not an option for you, then you will need to look into financing or self-pay.

There is no way around it, but the 6 months flys by as I am already going on my 6th month at the end of this month and can't believe it!

Have you been on any diets at all that were supervised by a doctor? I was on phentermine, and I submitted those records.

Kelly, I, too, was bummed about the 6 month requirement. I am close to the end and paperwork will be submitted to ins. co. soon. I am so thankful to have had the last months to prepare myself. I think about what I am doing to myself with this surgery so differently than last Oct. There are so many people here that have been down the LB road and will be here for support. I am so thankful and I have learned so much about myself during these past months. Be patient, your time will come. Good luck to you

Thanks everyone! I just found out that they will take my weight watchers records in lieu of the dr. supervised so all is well again. Thanks for the support!