the journey begins

After reading the various websites, blogs and even some research on the subject and years of failed weight-loss attempts (more on that later) I have decided to pursue a surgical solution. I currently weight 281 (ala my scale in the laundry room). At 5'7" this means that I have a BMI of a whopping 44.

Today I called my insurance company (United Healthcare) and was told that although they have a policy on bariatric surgery i was not allowed a copy of it. Kindly, however, they could read it to me over the phone! (How generous of them!) I dont believe for one minute that this is a policy that is legal. When asked if they could tell me whether either of the two clinics that do bariatric surgeries was a preferred providor for my insurance I was told that i should call their offices to find out. sigh-such a run around.

So after I finished with my insurance company I called my regular doctors office to start work on the letter that the insurance company says is needed in order to gain permission for surgery coverage. for good measure i wrote up a dieting, medical problems, and weight gain history to fax to my doctor so that I could assist her in her letter writing. Then I called the two obesity clinics in my town and asked them if they were preferred providers for my insurance. One suggested I call my insurance company! haha and the other signed me up for the required information seminar. I hope I dont go through all this and find out there is no insurance coverage and the bill will be 100,000 dollars!

so now I wait-My seminar appointment is July 26. I'll try and remember to blog and let you know how it goes.