Insurance Coverage and Requirements for Bariatric Surgery

For many people, weight-loss surgery is affordable because it is covered by their health insurance.

For others, it is a medical treatment they pay for themselves. Whether your insurance company will cover the cost of bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery) or you are paying for it yourself, you will need to prepare detailed written documentation to support the medical necessity of your procedure.

Obtaining insurance approval:

• Consult your insurance company regarding your benefits
• Determine if a medically supervised weight-loss diet program is required
• Consult with your primary care physician and request a letter of medical necessity
• Obtain your diet history and a record of your weight from your doctor or supervised weight-loss program. Most insurance companies require a five-year history of morbid obesity.

Our program coordinator and your surgeon’s office staff will help you understand your insurance coverage and approval process.