Question:
How Can I Handle A Stall By My Insurance Company- Unicare?

After faxing Unicare a weight/dit history for the past 10 years and seeing the pyschologist they NOW state they want a 3 year history from my physician because the diet history I gave them was INSUFFICIENT and my psychologist evaluation was insufficient because he did not clear me for surgery after the test and the consultation with him. Now tell me what do I do. I already called Dr. Rago's office for the clearance from surgery and I called my PCPs office for the diet history. Am I missing something or did I do something wrong? Please help    — Sonya P. (posted on July 2, 2003)

July 2, 2003
I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with your insurance. Why don't they all realize that in the long run this is to their BENEFIT!?!? I won't sugarcoat my answer and tell you that you'll get approved if you just keep trying. Not everyone gets approval. What you CAN do, is follow their instructions to the 't' and make sure you dot every 'i'. Continue to follow up with your insurance company. Continue to be super polite and understand that the person on the other end of the phone at your ins co is not the person who made the crappy decision. There are lots of great tips on insurance approval on this site. Look up (in the q and a or the insurance sections) your carrier and see what others have to say. Write a letter to your ins. co. as to why you need this surgery. Have your other dr.s write letters of medical necessity. ob/gyne, podiatrist..all of them:) Have your dr. go over your diet history and sign it. Try everything!!! Then if you don't win 1 of your 2 appeals, hire Walter Lindstrom. He won't even take your case if he's not sure he can win. Good luck and keep me posted!!! (hope I wasn't too much of a downer!!)
   — kathy B.

July 2, 2003
I've worked precert for wls for 6 years and the good thing is they haven't denied you. They are looking for specific info and it sounds like it is lacking what they are looking for. You have to be the one who goes after the doc's to make sure they are sending all the info they are requesting. Best of Luck!
   — ZZ S.