I am in the process of waiting for approval from my insurance and have a question. My BMI is 36 right now and my insurance requires a weight history of the past 5 years. I have only beem 40 lbs or so overweight before my kids so my BMI was probably like 32 or 33 in the past couple of years. Is that going to be a problem? Has anyone been in the same boat?? I want so badly to be approved!!!!

I didn't have to prove what I've weighed the last few years, I just had to show that I've tried to lose the weight. (And all I ended up having to do was shoot an email to the surgeon's insurance coordinatory saying what I tried and when.)

However, the employer your insurance is through could require more than what I had to. We're insured through the railroad and it is a VERY good plan.

The only thing my UHC plan required was that I had to have 3 out of 5 issues with my health which I did. I had sleep apnea, high blood pressur, and was borderline diabetic and of course a high BMI. Good Luck!

My insurance is also UHC Choice and they to require in my plan to have a 5 year weight history with a diagnosis from a physician of morbid obesity. I went from being overweight, to being very morbidly obese while pregnant, to being obese after the pregnancy, to overweight again and back to morbid obesity. I called the coordinator and they said they understand there are ups and downs and that is part of the disease. I have not yet been asked to provide medical records but did submit a weight history for the last six years with diet and exercise attempts. I may have... um, added a few pounds here and there but heck, I am goind off my memory :thumbup:

I say, give it a try. What can it hurt? I will let you know what my insurance company decides

Is anyone here from Texas? I have UHC choice plus with Shell Oil Co. Was wondering if anyone here could give me some input on your experience with UHC

Lady zique - I have UHC Choice Plus through a Houston area school district. It's covered 80/20 for me and very few hoops to jump through, and my surgeon has not added any additional hoops either. I went through Memorial Hermann - it's a one stop shopping outfit for wls and UHC provider. My psych recommended MHHS b/c they have a excellent reputation for good post-op patient care.

I went to the wls seminar at the end of February, met with surgeon in mid-March, did the nutrition class at MHHS and psych eval that same week. The surgeon's bariatric coordinator submitted everything on April 2 - she said UHC takes 2-6 weeks for approvals. UHC recognized it in their system on April 8. UHC Care Coordination of Dallas verified approval with a precert. # on May 7 and my second pre-op appt with the surgeon is this week. I am hoping to set a surgery date when I meet with him.

Good luck!

Thanks Triser for the reply,I'm just sitting and waiting. I havn't called to see if UHC got the paper work or anything yet. The doctor office said they would send it out no later than friday (last week) so I will give it a few days before I start bugging them. Do you know if you can see this online with them I registered to be able to check claims I see where my blood work and consult is on there. I was wondering if I would see the request for services on their as well.

Yeh, I tried checking online - it's not possible. Once the doc sends the pprwk - give the insurance about a week, then start bugging them. Claims and Care Coordination are separate entities of UHC and don't use the same computer system. Claims will tell you one thing, but it's Care Coordination of Dallas that you need to be talking too. Call your Customer Service number on the back of your ID card and just go through all the teleautomation till you get to a cs rep, then ask to speak to Care Coordination of Dallas. They'll patch you through. You can't find their number on the website either.

Thanks Triser I really appreciate the infromation. I actually did try to call today and they didn't know what I was talking about. I think they did get me to a care coordinator, but she didn't know anything as well but told me to have them call it in. I will just let it rest for a week.

Well I found out today that i was approved jsut waiting on a date now. I'm pretty scared and nervous now.

That is so awesome!!!!

Went today for my pre-op visit my date is going to be June 5. Getting kind of nervous will start shopping for some of my stuff this weekend. he said I will ahve to stay over night.

:biggrin2:Lady Zique! WOOHOO!! for getting approved!! I am going through UHC Choice Plus too but in Austin. I hope that I get approved! I am hoping that I can get my records from the last 5 yrs. Last year, I am coverd and 06 too. But before that...not sure, I didn't go to Drs too much and when I did..hello! the scale doesn't go up that high! but back to the real lucky one, you! Congrats!! :rolleyes2:

Thanks this my 8th day post op and feeling much better today I'm actually going out today with my son to get a cake for dad and make a run in walmart real quick. It's going ok I just thought I would have lost more weight by now but I'm trying to stay positive and just move forward. I go to my doc Monday fpor my first post op visit real curious to see what he has to say. Oh well United was a joy to work with. They were very nice when I called and they really didn't require much and I got my approval in 5 business days.

Hiya Lady Zique! from what I hear you don't always "drop" the weight right away. they say that it takes some time but glad to hear you are out and about and not at home worrying. Definitely stay positive! Alot of folks talk about a phase right after the surgery where you wonder what you are doing wrong or why you did this but it passes. Again, since I am still getting approvals I am just going by differet things I have read. I think you are doing GREAT!!! Stay focused and positive and it will work itself out Girl!!