Does anyone have this insurance company? If so, did you get approved? How long was the wait?

I have GreatWest, I'm a state employee and I was covered.

FinallyFree,

Did they require a 6 month supervised diet or was a recommendation from the doctor sufficient?

Yes, the 6 mo. supervised Dr. visit was mandatory along with having 3 co morbidities, 5 years of medical records that shows a person is over wgt, along with the dr. referral.

Greatwest was very helpful in helping me qualify for the surgery.

Have you attended a seminar yet?

I haven't been to a seminar yet. I am still researching doctors. A question about the 5 year medical history, I just got on insurance last October so I don't have 5 years of medical history. I wonder what they will want for that. Since I didn't have insurance, I couldn't afford to go to the doctor. My PCP has already sent in a referral letter. I know that everyone is impatient, but I was really not wanting to wait 6 months. I just found out in January that I am diabetic and my cholesterol is high. I don't see why they make overweight people jump through hoops to be able to get a surgery that can save their life.

Hi, I work in a doctor's office and we just found out that Great West has merged with Cigna, so you might have to meet Cigna's requirements. I would call the number on the back of the card and ask.

Thanks for the update, Carrie, I had heard they were merging, but not until around Oct. But then maybe it will be for the state I live in. Have you heard of any changes in coverage?

Hi, I think some plans have already merged here. I haven't heard in any changes in coverage, but we are usually the last ones to know.

I have Great West and I didn't have any problems. I had my approve 5 days after my paper work was submitted. Good Luck!

Good news. I went to the seminar on Saturday. It ended up with a one on one with the doctor because no one else showed up. He told me that since I had been seeing my PCP regularly since Jan., that would count towards my 6 month supervised diet. He said I should only have to see her in May, June & July. Also since I had to see a nutritionist for my diabetes, that counts too. Now all I need to do is my appointment with the psychologist and get a few previous medical records. I am so excited, we are possibly looking at surgery in late July or August. But again that all depends on the insurance company.

HI,

I was reading posts, since I have Great West Healthcare insurance. I have had all my consults and now we go to the insurance. Did they require anything like 6 months of medically approved diet? Thanks.

I didn't have to, not sure how I got lucky on that one.

I had to do six months doctor supervised diet. Actually all I did was go to the doctors office once a month and did a weight check and then she wrote a letter to the insurance company explaining the diet that she recommended. It was all pretty simple.