I officaly started my 6 month diet today. My pcp said that I need to see her again in Sept, December and that I need to see the dietician 1 time a month for then next 6 months and that the dietician will then send notes to her and she will document them. Then come my last appointment I will get the file from her and the dietician and send it to the weighloss center and then they will run it through insurance and I will be approved cause I meet all the requirements.

Does that sound right? I have already met with the surgeon, the dietician and phycologist all at the weightloss center and when I talked to the billing department there she said that I wouldn't have to go through all those appointments again, they will go by my previous bmi and all that was written by the suregon and dieticain that day.

My insurance is Highmark BCBS

Will it matter that I met with the weightloss surgery center 6 months prior??

Has anyone gone through all the 6 month requirements and been denied?

Do I have to see both the DR. and the Dietitian each month??

How exactly did the 6 month diet work?? I am learning insurance is not a good resource to ask, I get a million different answers and that's why I am in the situation that I am in!!

I had to see a nutritionist or do a weight loss program for 6 months and have it documented in my chart at my PCPs office. In my case they had an in house nutritionist that I used but I could've done weight watchers and taken my weigh ins to my PCP once a month to document.

However every insurance company and policy is different so you need to get your plans requirements in writing. Hope that helps some! Good luck!

Hey there

I am going to have my surgery on Thurs the 9th and I had to do a 6mo diet as well and I have BCBS of Illinois. Here is how this came together for me.

I did see a doctor who specializes in weight loss NOT my pcp who has no clue about programs and the issues that come with being obease. If you have your lap band doc already picked out let them guide you through this process not your pcp. So I did the 6mo and I never missed a month with this doctor. We kind of went over the south beach diet and we discussed all kinds of things. They should be concerned about your mental state as well and your total understanding of what this whole process is going to be about in the end. So the 6mo was done and my lap band doc told me that BCBS also wanted another FAILED attempt at weight loss like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers etc. if you have done this at all look for any proof you have laying about the house. My info was from 2000 and 2003 took me less than a week to get approval.

You must see the doctor EVERY month do not skip a month or BCBS will give you a really hard time. Remember you need to work with the doctor you have chosen to do the lap band proceedure the ladies who actually run his office will know exactly what you need and dont need. I do not mean to sound like the pcp is not good but perhaps they just do not know about the insurance system for this proceedure which is WAY different then any other proceedure you may every have done.

Do your research it is most important, call BCBS and point blank ask them what you need to do, ask them to send you a list of the whole process they will and if they dont want to get a supervisor on the phone ASAP.

I do hope this is helpful

Michele