Hello.

I need outside support and want to join the meetings. My weight is causing my mental state and need group support.

I was wandering is WW takes insurance? I finally coming to terms that my scale non digital is not working. and my medical doctor office is digital that reads am 391. I am overeating and need real-live support. I get support for my mental health..just need support on weight loss.

Thank you for listening..

WW doesn't take insurance (that is they won't bill your insurance), however some insurances do cover WW meetings (though it's relatively rare, unless you have a medical savings account - I believe that all medical savings accounts now cover WW and similar diet plans).

A less expensive alternative to WW is TOPS (on the top.org site you will be able to find out if there are meetings in your area). There is a $25 annual fee (which includes a monthly magazine) and most groups charge monthly dues (generally under $5). Also, there are fines for gains (usually a few cents for each pound - our group charged a dime). The biggest loser for the week then takes home all of the fine money. Usually other games and contests are run too (you can opt out of even the fines, but then you can't take the prize if you're best loser).

Our group also waived dues for months in which a member lost 10 lbs, so if you can consistently lose 10 lbs a month, you can avoid the local dues altoghether.

TOPS, though, doesn't offer the program that WW does, and since this IS a WW forum...well, enough said...
If you are working, your employer may offer compensation for WW costs. And as it is, WW costs are really quite reasonable -- a one-time registration fee of around $20, and weekly in-person support meetings for around $15. And while this is a sum of money, it is generally less than a movie for two these days and alot less than meals out.
Kira

You can look on your insurance company's website for information. I know that my insurance, Cigna, has a deal to waive the $15 registration fee and you can buy X amount of passes for less than the regular cost of meetings. You need to be careful before you go that route, though, because every chapter is different. You can call the local WW office to ask about insurance coupons or waiving of start-up fees.

When I joined last month, they were waiving the start up fees anyway. The leader said she wasn't sure if they'd take the vouchers from my insurance, though. They also have other plans locally for discounted passes or monthly memberships, too, so you could look into that although that means more money up front.

Sorry about that, I always read threads by clicking on New Posts, which means I sometimes don't realize what forum I'm reading/posting in.

However, I still think the info is appropriate for this forum, in that (unless things have changed quite a bit in the last few months) folks following the WW program, but not paying for it, are still welcome here (whether they're TOPS members or not). TOPS does not require any specific plan - they do offer information on an exchange plan (very similar to WW plans prior to 1994), but you can follow any program you wish to. In fact, in all of the TOPS groups I have joined in the last 10 years, WW plans have been the most popular. I would estimate that in most groups more than half were following a Weight Watcher's program (either the program that was current at the time, or a previous version of WW that the member had found effective).

It's very common for people to join WW to get the program basics and then quit to join TOPS. It's also very common for people in TOPS who were on WW, but have decided to follow another plan, to give, sell, or trade their unused WW materials (I've been on both sides of such transactions).

I work for a hospital and our medical insurance will reimburse you for ww meeting expenses up to 500 a year.But you do have to pay upfront.Pretty good deal.

Right now is free registration, so if you are going to do it, do it ASAP! Or sign up for the monthly pass and it is free to sign up no matter what.

Thank you all for your input.. Monday will see a nutritionst at my mental health center.