Anthem Blue Cross

Does anyone know if they still require 6 mo supervised diet by dr. ? currently.
I asked them and they directed me to policies and procedures for lapband. It was a 25 pg doc.
I studied and no where on there does it say a time or length for medically supervised diet.
It just says that the doc has to answer a questionare. Does any one know if this has changed recently? What would you do?
THANKS!

Well obviously the person you spoke too wasn't too smart.  I have blue cross ppo and they gave me a person who followed me for a month before the surgery and 3 months after.  If I was you, I would call them back, tell them I read the 25 pages and didn't see anything about a 6 month diet, and say, is that true, there isn't one?

Also I didn't have to do anything before my surgery, pick a doc, and that was it, the doctors office took care of that from there, but every doctors office and every insurance company is different.

Good luck, Diane

 I have Anthem Blue Cross here in California.... not sure what state you're in.  So don't know if it'd be different if it's a different state.  But I didn't have to do 6 months before.  All the insurance required was a psych eval, nutritionist eval and letter from the surgeon.  Once it was submitted I got approved in 3 days.  Hopefully this helps!

I didn't think there was a six month program either.  Thanks for posting, good to see a new face!

Diane

I have Anthem Blue Cross and they did not require a 6 month supervised diet.  What they did ask for was a list and date of all the diets I had tried in the past.  We all know that list could be pages long!  Then they asked for blood work for the past year.  Other than that, it has been smooth sailing.  I had a couple hiccups in the process because my insurance was canceled because I didn't show proof of residency for the State.  Soon as that went through I got my appointment with the Dr relatively right away, and went to all my seminars already, so that it out of the way.  Thurs. will be my appointment with the surgeon then I get referred to the Psych Dr for the evail, guess to make sure I am sane.  Then the insurance person at the surgeons office will schedule the surgery appointment. 

I hope you have good luck with your journey.

heres the twist. whiel my BSBC did not require it my HMO/IPA tried to require it. If you have an HMO they may require it before they issue the referral, make sure you are clear on both sides of the aisle

I think it depends on the specific plan.

I have Anthem Blue Cross California Prudent Buyer PPO and I was approved after psych eval, nutritionist, and a sleep study (I am a 39 BMI) to prove I had a comorbidity.

Good Luck