Confused...excited...WHAT'S GOING ON????

Last May, I started my bariatric endeavors in Illinois.  I attended the nutrition class, and began meeting monthly with the dietician in June, July and August. I had my psych. eval, was cleared by the physical therapist and then moved to Texas in October.  When began with the surgeon's office in Texas, I was told that since I hadn't completed the 3 months of pre op weight loss, I would have to begin again.  Fair enough.  I am about 6 weeks into the weight loss and I am doing great. HERE'S THE CONFUSION...I received a call from my surgeon's office yesterday and they said they were waiting for the letter of medical clearance from my PCP so they could submit it to my insurance.  I know I didn't initially complete the 3 month diet, so why are they going ahead and submitting to the insurance? 

I can't help but be excited and hopeful that the insurance will go ahead and approve, but I am a pretty by the book person, so I am a little perplexed.  Can anyone give me an idea why they would submit the information so early?

Thank you for your support.  You all have no idea how much I value your collective knowledge.

Well good luck. Hopefully it will go through. Guessing the staff in TX didn't read thoroughly or someone checked a box that they shouldn't have in IL? 

Pre-op requirements like mandatory 12/6 month supervised diets, waiting periods and "proving readiness" are weight bias IMHO. There is no other chronic disease that requires that... no one says wait you will have to prove you will change to someone who needs a heart bypass or a stent, "Sorry heart patient you'll have to take a nutrition class first and show us you are going to take this seriously." 

What it does do (how they/insurance sells it) is "allow us time to make lifestyle changes." Given... these are needed for some of us... it's a big deal, rules to follow, head needs to be in it but...  studies show people don't lose or maintain any more weight loss than those who had surgery without a waiting period and in fact, there are studies that people get sicker during those mandatory waiting (aka-hoop-jumping-maybe-they-will-give-up-and-we-will-save-money) periods and that raises complication rates. So I'm all for axing them. Just my 2 1/2 cents (inflation) ;)

Thank you for your humble opinion.  The conversation I had with the current dr. office made it very clear to me that I had only satisfied 2 months of nut counseling.  Nevertheless, I am going to continue on my path and not give them any reason to deny me in another month and a half.  I couldn't agree more about the other surgeries.  Could you imagine telling a mom ready for a C-section that she hasn't shown she has made the necessary lifestyle changes to deliver that 2 week overdue baby?  Yep my daughter was 17 days overdue...but I digress.  I am still kind of questioning things anyway because the dr. says I just need to do 90 days with my PCP and the brochure on my insurance website (Cigna) still says 6 months.  So I don't know if they simply haven't updated the information or just what.  My patient advocate says 90 days, so I'm (cautiously optimistically) going with 90 days.  Thanks for your 2 1/2 cents

Sometimes requirements are the Surgeon's requirements and sometimes they are the insurance's. Also they maybe able to submit because tenative surgery date is after the 3 months. So approved 'pending' completion. I would rather have the approval sooner than later. less stress... Worst case scenario they have to re-submit.

I am happy to say the insurance has relaxed the criteria and we now only have to do 3 months. Now I'm getting even more excited!