HELP!! CENTRAL KENTUCKY AREA BUT WILLING TO TRAVEL

Hello, I am wanting to know if anyone knows of a physician that will help in getting me approved for lapband with my insurance company (BCBS Tenn). They will cover this procedure, but, I have to have been diagnosed as morbidly obese for 5 years...I haven't been to the doctor that regularly, I only have my word to go on that I am and have been overweight for most all of my life...ever since I was a young teen I have been fighting this. Now that I finally have an insurance company that will pay, I don't know how I can get that part of it documented. ANY SUGGESTIONS/HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Have you ever been to a doctor for weight loss drugs or suggestions on how to lose weight? If not, you should go immediately if you wish to speed things up. And, you will need to write down EVERY weight loss attempt you have tried by yourself. Document what kind of diet it was, the year you did it, how much weight you lost, and how long you kept it off. And, state the amount of weight you gained back after you attempted that particular diet. Do that for every diet you've tried. Hang on to that, because you will need to give it to the Bariatric Surgeon. But to get on the right track with the insurance company, you need to go to your family doctor and talk to him about having the surgery. Then you have to be under a physician's care to lose weight for six months to one year before the insurance will consider you for bariatric surgery. So, I would do that first. Have your doctor refer you to a bariatric surgeon and they will let you know what you need to do. So, first thing -- Make an appointment with family doctor and ask him for a referral to a bariatric surgeon. Also, ask him to put you on a weight loss drug and go back to be monitored so you will have a record that you have been seeing a physician for help with weight loss. Then, second thing -- go see the bariatric surgeon. You will have to attend a seminar before you even get to see the surgeon. But, when you call their office tell them you are interested in weight loss surgery and they will schedule you to attend a seminar. And, keep a journal of your previous and present weight loss attempts. The insurance company will ask you for your documentation and the doctors records. But to get things rolling and in the process while you are going through all of the seminars and tests and things like that, you can be killing two birds with one stone. But, like I said, some insurance companies require you to be under a physicians care for six months, some require a year. They also require you to have one of the co-morbid conditions, like: sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high choloesterol, diabetes, depression, or any other condition(s) caused by obesity. So, make sure your doctor lists those when he writes your referral letter to the bariatric surgeon. Good Luck to you!! And, if you need any help, just let me know. Hugs, Sharee

Sharee, thanks so much for the speedy reply & info. I had my 1st doctor appt last week, not with my family doctor, but with a nurse practitioner; I chose not to go to my family doctor, because he doesn't believe in even taking diet pills to lose weight (you know the story...just push away from the table he says) anyway...the nurse practitioner is going to do some "research" before my next appointment. I don't have any co-morbities (at least not that I am aware of yet), just morbidly obese; BMI 40.6, but my weight yo-yo's a lot. I am also scheduled to go to a seminar in December. I will start working on a journal to get everything on paper...but if you have any other ideas.....please please let me know! Thanks! Michelle

Your past Dr.s or health dept. should have documented your weight. It will take some phones calls & maybe a trip but they should have it. Good luck..............