Just Starting Out

So I'm new to the board and am just beginning my WLS journey.  I've been to my info seminar, had my surgeon consultation, talked with the nutritionist.  Just have to do a support group meeting on July 6th and then have the first of 2 psych evaluations on July 23rd.  Once those are done my insurance can be submitted and I can find out if they'll cover things.  I use UH for insurance and am not sure what to expect.  When the Drs office and I talked with them they just said the basics....have to be a bmi over 40...over 18....the one thing they said which I'm not sure how to take is BMI over 40 documented for the last 5 years.  I've prodded about supervised diets...they tell me no.  My surgeons office has the last 5 years worth of 40 plus bmi....and I've got the last 5 years of attempted diets (Weigh****chers and a couple other local programs).  I do struggle with bipolar so I'm a little nervous about my psych evaluation but my surgeon didn't think it would be an issue given that i'm looking at doing the sleeve.  she also says I'm an ideal candidate b/c I already excercise ad try to eat right....now I'm just petrified about the insurance process. anyone have any experience with UH and know if they're super hard....or if the 5 documented years is really what it means??  I just hear so much about medical supervised diets and the people i talked with just make it seem so different.  Never really had to have anything preapproved before....I'm also nervous about this whole process in general :)  sooo mental so far lol....didn't realize how much i wanted this until i started thinking about insurance possibly rejecting me. 

 

I look forward to getting to know you guys!!  Thanks :) 

Steph

Call your insurance company and find out what they require.  It's your responsibility, in the end, to know and meet the requirements, not your doctor's.

Not all insurance policies require a supervised diet, but many do.  Call your insurance company and find out for sure.

Having bipolar disorder doesn't mean you can't have WLS, not VSG or RNY.  They just need to know that your condition is stable, you are compliant with treatment, etc.

Thanks for the tips. I've talked to my insurance company 3 times and have received the same info about the 5 years documented and no supervised diet. Just wondering how reality really plays out. Also....my dr won't do a rny on bipolar patients due to medicine absorption issues. Not so much worried about that as I am about insurance questioning it. I've researched this stuff for years but never thought I'd actually make the jump. So just wondering what others have experienced.

Thanks again