Example PCP Letter??

Hi does anyone have an example PCP letter of support that they are willing to share? It would be especially helpful if it included a section on the physician supervised weight loss but I would appreciate any examples. Feel free to email or post or whatever. Thanks for you help!

I would be interested in seeing this as well. My PCP has never done anything for someone seeking WLS, so I'm very scared her documentation won't be correct. Great question!

I'd help if I could, but I've never seen one.  

Well, I wrote mine and my PCP signed it.  Unfortunately, I did not save it.  So working from memory:

1. I detailed what diets I had done and failed.
2. I listed co-morbids.
3. I detailed what I had done to prepare for surgery.  In my case, I had been engaged in counseling with someone who had experience with WLS clients.  (How I found this person was kismet; I went for general counseling and had an established relationship with him before pursuing WLS.)
4. I detailed how I planned to work with my PCP for follow-up after WLS.

It really is a matter of selling yourself and your need for WLS to your insurance company.  My PCP was thrilled that I wrote it.  They tend to be busy and this was one less "task" put upon him.  I guess it's all a part of this self-advocacy we sometimes have to undertake.  Think of it as a WLS resume and you really want that job. 


ETA:  Your medical records will supply most of the factual evidence required by an insurance company.  My letter was for D.r Houston's office for the purposes of showing him that I did have the support of my PCP. 

Found it...knew there was one cause we found it pre-op.
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/information/wlsjourney/letter+to+pcp.php

Liz

My pcp listed all my comorbitities to being overweight and how I can benefit and reverse these by having the surgery.  He stressed that I have tried all other options without success.  He wrote that he strongly recommended this surgery in order to save my life.

Mine just stated I qualified for surgery and it was his opinion that I would benefit. And then listed the ONE co-morbid they don't ever argue...I was an insulin dependent type II on an insulin pump.

That is the only one he listed, I had others but that one trumped all the others.

Liz
 

Here is the letter in my binder (we get a binder with everything from diet to tests to post diet and vitamins):

Patient:_________  Date: ______
PCP: __________________
Surgeon: ____________________

Dear Dr.: ________________________

This is regarding our mutual patient who is morbidly obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of _______.

To obtain authorization from insurance companies for weight loss surgery, we need
1.  A "letter of medical necessity" from each patient Primary Care Physician and
2. Documentation of past non-surgical attempts to lose weight.

This letter of medical necessity should include your description of:
-All serious weight-related health problems or the risks of developing those conditions if substantial weight loss does not occur.
-The medical need for weight loss surgery as indicated by the patient's Body Mass Index (National Institues of Health guidelines:  BMI of 40 or 35-40 with serious co-morbidities)

Please copy all office notes that document:
-Six consecutive months of office visits
-Weight at each visit (if pt. weight exceeds your scale capacity, please note)
-Discussion of 1200 calorie diet, prescription medication use for weight loss and any attempt at physcial activitiy.

Our pre-surgery work up may include Upper GI, lab work, CXR, EKG, pulmonary or cardiac testing as needed.  Each patient also sees a registered dietician for a nutritional evaluation and is sent for a psychological evaluation prior to surgery.

Any additional information you can supply to support weight loss surgery as a treatment for our patient's morbid obesity will be helpful.  Please feel free to contact our office if you or your staff has any questions about this patient or our program.

Sincerely,

__________ - Surgeon

Note:  I gave a copy of this letter 3 times to my PCP who promised repeatedly they would get it out.  I talked to them several times at my last pre-appointment; they said they would get it out.  They never did and I was approved with out.  But I did actually have 7 progress notes from my PCP.. I made them fill these out at each appointment and took a copy of each one straight to the Bariatric Center after each of my appointments.