6 month supervised diet
As others have said all insurance companies are different. Mine required a minimum 6 month program with monthly dr., nut., classes and support groups. When I started the program I loathed the idea of having to jump through all the hoops. I also wan't too good at following the program. However, now that I have had surgery I totally understand why they do it and am really glad they made me "jump through those hoops."
IMHO they do it because they want the surgery to be successful. The insurer covers the surgery because they believe they will save more by paying for the surgery than paying for all the health complications obesity will cause. If the surgery fails - if you fail to use the tool - they are out for the surgery and will still have to pay for all the medical issues caused by obesity.
Obviously, there is some risk of losing your insurance during that period but I firmly believe I would not have been able to make the changes that are necessary to be successful if I did not go through that program. During the program I didn't understand how if your stomach is the size of a sharpie you could ever possibly regain weight. I learned that it is entirely possible. I learned things that prepared me for how life is now. I learned about the changes I was basically forced to make because of the surgery and I learned what changes I needed to make that wouldn't be thrust upon me because of the surgery. Most importantly I learned that this surgery is only a tool. I would strongly encourage you to do whatever you can before the surgery to learn about it. Attend the "weigh ins" and ask questions, attend support groups, if covered see a nutritionist and take classes. I thought it was a bunch of junk before surgery but now I realize how important it was. If I had just walked in and gotten sleeved I would be totally lost now.
