Is bariatric surgery right for me?
Let’s look at the facts:
Most adults in the United States today are overweight.
Roughly one-third are heavy enough to have serious associated medical problems, and at least 7 million are heavy enough that a treatment as drastic as surgery might be justified. This year, more than 200,000 people in the United States will undergo surgery to help them lose weight and improve their health and quality of life.
If you have been unable to control your weight with diet and exercise, and your weight has made you ill or prevents you from doing things that are important to you, then surgery might be an option to consider.
Formal guidelines to help determine who is eligible for weight-loss surgery have been developed by the National Institutes of Health and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
Generally, most insurance companies follow these guidelines to authorize surgery:
- You have made sincere attempts to control your weight in the past, without sustained success.
- You are willing and able to follow up with care after surgery, including taking vitamin supplements.
- You do not use illegal drugs or tobacco, and you do not use alcohol excessively.
- You are heavy enough to warrant surgery:
- Body mass index 40 or greater, OR
- Body mass index 35 or greater with a serious medical problem related to your weight, such as type II diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, or serious joint disease. Your insurance company can tell you what conditions apply under your plan.
- You understand the limitations of weight-loss surgery, the risks, and the alternatives.
Most insurance companies also require that you be seen by a dietitian and psychologist or psychiatrist specifically about weight-loss surgery and that you see your primary doctor or weight-loss surgeon monthly for a certain period of time. Call your insurance company about your weight-loss surgery benefits.
Read more
Types of surgery we offer
Life after surgery
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