Does My Health Insurance Cover Weight Loss Surgery

Payment & Insurance Coverage For Weight Loss Surgery

Getting Insurance To Cover Weight Loss Surgery

After you have completed all of the steps to prepare for weight loss surgery, our staff at NYU Langones Weight Management Program is able to discuss payment options.

If you are planning to pay for the surgery yourself, known as out-of-pocket payment, please make sure you bring the correct documentation to your first appointment.

If you are planning to have your surgery covered by insurance, you need to complete the authorization process required by your insurance carrier.

NYU Langones Weight Management Program is designated as a CIGNA Certified Hospital for Bariatric Surgery, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery, an Optum Bariatric Center of Excellence, and a HIP Emblem Center of Excellence.

What Insurance Does Cover

Prior to the Affordable Care Act , health insurance providers could decide independently which services to cover and which were not covered. The ACA created a standardized group of 10 essential benefits that all individual and small group plans are required to cover. These ten essential benefits encompass many healthcare needs, such as doctor visits and hospitalization, but theres no requirement that health plans cover other services.

In the large group market, the rules are a little different says Norris. Preventive care has to be covered, and employers with 50 or more employees are required to offer health insurance that provides minimum value meaning that the plan has to cover at least 60 percent of the cost of covered services for the average population. Large groups are not required to offer the ten essential benefits, although most do. All Medicare and Medicaid policies as of 2014 are required to offer the 10 essential benefits.

Keep in mind that just because a service isnt in the ten essentials, doesnt mean your insurance company doesnt cover it. Thats why its smart to make a list of services essential to you, then call your insurance company and ask if the services are fully or partially covered.

Get A Free Insurance Check For Weight Loss Surgery Coverage

There is no obligation when you fill out our free insurance check form. A member of our team will contact you to explain your benefits, but we will not pressure you to make an appointment. Patients who have chosen St. Louis Bariatrics can rest assured knowing that our experienced team will be with you every step of the way on your journey to better health.

Dr. Jay Snowhas either authored or reviewed and approved this content.

Bariatric Surgery Payment Options in St. Louis

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Do You Have To Pay Anything Extra To Avail Bariatric Surgery Insurance

Bariatric Surgery is usually not covered with most insurers in the base policy. However, health insurers nowadays provide an option where you add this benefit to your health insurance policy by paying a little extra premium.

So, before buying a health insurance policy, do your bit of the research.

Bariatric Surgery Insurance is a fresh take at how health insurance is gradually becoming completely customer friendly, with plans that can be personalized according to relevant needs!

After Gastric Sleeve Surgery Costs

How to Get Weight Loss Surgery Approved?

There are not many costs after gastric sleeve surgery. Unlike the Lap Band, you will not need regular adjustments from your surgeon to ensure the proper tightness. Below are a few important points to keep in mind.

Nutritionist appointments are often out of pocket or negotiated before surgery. These can range from $50 USD per visit to over $100 per visit.
Compared to gastric bands, there is very little required follow-up with gastric sleeves and therefore lower costs.
Post-surgery follow-up visits with your bariatric surgeon are typically free.
Complications can be extremely expensive. If the surgery is covered by insurance, then complications are typically covered as well. Treatment of wound site infections is typically paid for by the hospital or surgery center.

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Cosmetic And Not Medically Necessary

Liposuction is considered cosmetic and not medically necessary for all indications.
Abdominoplasty, when done to remove excess skin or fat with or without tightening of the underlying muscles, is considered cosmeticand not medically necessary.
Repair of diastasis recti is considered cosmetic and not medically necessary for all indications.

Is A Lower Price Always Better

There are a lot of considerations when choosing gastric sleeve surgery. Where will you have your surgery? Who will perform the surgery? And how much are you willing to pay? All of these questions play a role in your final decision to have gastric sleeve surgery. And the cost is just one factor not the only factor.

Gastric sleeve surgery is a major procedure and you do not want to sacrifice surgeon skill over price.

Does A Lower Price Mean My Surgeon Is Less Skilled?

A low price does not indicate your surgeon is less skilled than a higher-priced surgeon. Many times the cost of the surgery is set by the hospital and the surgeon can choose to take advantage of that pricing or increase his/her price. Some surgeons prefer to offer their patients the lowest possible price because they feel this brings in more patients and the increased number of patients offsets any loss in price per case.

Because price does not have a direct relationship with surgeon skill, choose a surgeon that youll love first and consider price second.

Private Health Insurance That Covers Bariatric Surgery Uk

These include bmi, nuffield, spire and nhs private units expert select (pdf 1.02. To cover the expenses of your bariatric surgery in health insurance, these are the conditions that needs to be kept in mind:

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How To Get Bariatric Surgery Added To Your Companys Plan

Dr. Aram Jawed: Does medical insurance cover Weight Loss Surgery?

SECTION SUMMARY:

You should make the business case to your Human Resources Department

If you work for a company with 51 or more full-time employees and your plan does not currently cover bariatric surgery, you may be able to convince your employer to add it.

Your first step is to go to Human Resources and present your case. The only way HR is going to get senior management to add bariatric surgery is if HR can present a compelling business reason to do so.

The trick to presenting a compelling business case to HR is to take all emotions out of the discussion. You should focus strictly on how adding bariatric surgery is a good business decision and will improve your companys bottom line .

We have good news

In addition to providing you and others with a benefit that will improve your health and extend your life, adding bariatric surgery to your plan is an extremely good business decision.

To help your Human Resources department understand why, either:

Refer your HR representative to the section below -or-

Print and present the following section along with this page on your own.

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How To Appeal A Health Insurance Company Denial

What private health insurance covers weight loss surgery. Other mbs items not listed here may also be covered. Medicare covers weight loss surgery Criteria can be mandated by your employer, a medical policy, or be plan specific.

Many people who are considering weight loss surgery discover that getting approval for the procedure from their insurance company is one of the many high points in their journey to better health. Medibank has a wide range of health support and wellbeing programs for eligible members going to hospital, including a digital health concierge and hospital experience scores. Results vs risks of the procedure.

The following mbs item numbers are included in this clinical category. If your policy is an hmo or qpos, though, aetna must approve the surgery before it’ll cover it. 30177 lipectomy, excision of skin and subcutaneous tissue associated with redundant abdominal skin and fat that is a direct consequence of significant weight loss, in conjunction with a radical abdominoplasty , with or without repair of musculoaponeurotic layer and.

For example, the state of virginias medicaid program often refers patients for bariatric surgery. Health concierge provides personalised health support to help eligible medibank hospital members prepare for, or recover from, a hospital stay or treatment. Some state medicaid programs are extremely progressive and proactive.

0718 July 2018 cover Atlanta magazine, Health system, Doctor

Words From Our Patients

“I had the surgery, and had no complications, very little discomfort, and I was back to work in a week. I recommend Dr. Paya to anyone!!

Patient
“Dr. Paya is one of the most skilled surgeons in Los Angeles. I had a complicated abdominal problem that multiple surgeons missed.””

Patient
“I have been his patient since 2008, very happy with my 2008 band and my 2015 new gastric bypass!!!”

Efrat B.
“Dr. Paya and his staff are wonderful people! He’s an excellent surgeon that knows his stuff. His bedside manner and professionalism is impeccable. Satisfied.”

skinnyrn2b
“He is a very skilled surgeon, he is Board Certified in General Surgery & a member of American College of Surgeons & a member of American Society of Bariatric Surgery.”

Martha R.

Feel free to email us regarding any scheduling or general questions!

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Why Are Contraceptives And Fertility Treatments Sometimes Not Covered

Laws on contraceptive coverage requirements differ by state. While most plans cover FDA-approved contraceptive methods, they may not cover abortions or male reproductive services like vasectomies. A few state laws mandate certain types of fertility coverage. But, fertility coverage that is not considered medically necessarysuch as egg freezing, assisted reproductive technologies , or its accompanying medications and servicesis not always covered.

The Unexpected Costs Of Being Obese

Does Medicare Cover Weight Loss Surgery l Gastric & Bariatric

You may be surprised to learn that being significantly overweight can put an extra strain on your wallet. Some unexpected costs associated with obesity include:

Increased health care spending: Obese patients spend up to $4,800 more on health care per year than normal weight adults, according to the STOP Obesity Alliance . These costs go toward additional physicians appointments, prescription medications and hospitalizations.
Time away from work: Obese men take as many as 5.9 more sick days per year than normal weight men. Obese women take as many as 9.4 more sick days per year, according to some health economists.
Lower wages: Obese women earn up to 6% less than normal weight co-workers and obese men earn 3% less, according to the Obesity Action Coalition.
Increased fuel costs: Studies have shown that for every additional 100 pounds placed in a car, the vehicles fuel efficiency goes down by up to 2%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. This decrease in fuel efficiency means it takes more gas to go the same distance than a car with less weight in it.
Higher clothing costs: Many clothing stores charge more for plus-size clothing, especially womens clothing, compared to similar styles in regular sizes.

No matter how overweight you are, losing even a modest amount of weight can significantly improve your health. Studies show that people who lost:

Is Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery Covered By Insurance

Gastric Sleeve surgery has historically not been covered by insurance. It was covered if the surgery was part of a staged gastric bypass procedure for the super morbidly obese who could not handle extended surgery times without losing more weight. This was called a staged procedure. The surgeon would perform part of a gastric bypass or a duodenal switch surgery and then once the patient lost some weight and recovered, the surgeon planned on finishing the surgery. However, most patients lost enough weight after the first part of the procedure. And a second procedure was not necessary.

Surgeons started booking more patients as staged duodenal switch surgeries knowing that insurance would pay for the procedure. But they also knew that the patient would lose enough weight and not need a second procedure.

Due to an overwhelming amount of data that showed gastric sleeve surgery caused significant weight loss, more insurance companies have started covering gastric sleeves as a primary treatment for morbid obesity. In 2010, three of the major insurance carriers chose to cover sleeve gastrectomies as a primary bariatric procedure. Since then many other insurance companies are now covering gastric sleeve surgery. Check if your insurance carrier covers gastric sleeve surgery.

Insurance Covered Weight Loss Programs

You might have to jump through a few hoops before getting approved for insurance covered weight loss programs. In fact, you could get denied three times or more before getting approval.

Its a good idea to get pre-approval prior to surgery, because it gives you a better chance of having what you need ahead of time. Youll want to find out from your insurance provider exactly whats needed, but its likely going to involve a ton of paperwork and your doctors involvement.

Having all your ducks in a row will improve your chances of getting approved on the first try and not have to deal with appeals. Plus, once you have bariatric surgery, its hard to fulfill certain requirements like completing a weight loss program or documenting weight loss efforts.

If you are approved, youll want to make sure you know exactly what that entails, such as:

Is there a deductible?
How much of the surgery and recovery is covered?
Is anything not covered?
How long does reimbursement take?

Having the answers to these questions will ensure youre fully prepared for the financial aspect of weight loss surgery and leave nothing to surprise.

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What To Do If You Get Declined For Bariatric Surgery

Even if your policy covers bariatric surgery coverage, brace yourself for a possibly long claims process. At best, you’ll need mounds of documentation to show the surgery is medically necessary for you.

Or you may run into big roadblocks. For CIGNA, the main reason for denials is that the insurer doesnt believe the member met the necessary criteria. In other instances, an employer may not include bariatric surgery in its plan.

If your plan doesn’t exclude coverage and you’re denied, appeal it. You will probably need to provide further documentation of your need for the surgery as medically necessary.

All health insurance plans should have a clear appeals process. Find out what it is and follow directions. You may only have a limited time from the date you were denied or had the procedure to get an appeal underway, possibly only 60 days. Depending on your plan’s procedure, you might have to start with a phone complaint and then move to a written appeal.

CIGNA said if a customer has coverage, but medical necessity was not met and a denial was issued, a medical necessity appeal is available to the member or provider. The denial letter would provide the contact information and instructions to initiate the appeal.

If youre thinking about appealing:

If you’ve tried everything and you’re still getting denied, there are a few other options:

If your HMO plan doesn’t cover obesity surgery, change to a PPO plan at open enrollment if the PPO plan covers it.

Finding Private Health Insurance To Cover Bariatric Surgery

Will my medical insurance cover weight loss surgery?

If you need surgery and your insurance company wont cover it, then you can do something about it. Affordable health insurance can be obtained privately. Did you know that you can have more than one health insurance company cover you at a time? When you have two insurance policies, one becomes primary and the other secondary.

So, while one policy may not cover the weight loss surgery, the other policy will pick up the tab. Getting a few health insurance quotes will show you how affordable having additional coverage can be. Its much cheaper to get another policy than it is to pay for the surgery out of pocket. Companies like First Quote Health, offer you coverage options that wont break the bank.

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Other Costs To Consider

When you choose to have gastric sleeve surgery you should also choose to change your lifestyle. Do not expect to keep the same habits that you had before surgery and successfully lose weight. The costs below will probably increase after surgery.

Food costs will increase. Even though you will be eating less, you should be eating healthier and eating healthier usually costs more. Maximize every bite of food by choosing the healthiest options that give you the most energy.
Will you get a gym membership?
Nutritional supplements? Most surgeons recommend protein supplements after surgery. Quality protein supplements can cost $50/month or more.
New clothes. As you start shrinking you will want to buy new clothes. Most people are amazed at how fast the weight comes off after surgery. New clothes are essential. Show off your new self!
Cosmetic surgery? Some people choose to have cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin after surgery. This is something that can be considered down the road but you may want to start saving early if you feel this is something that you will want to have done.

Health Insurance That Covers Bariatric Surgery

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As per as per WHO guidelines, > 35 BMI is morbid obesity. Bariatric surgery is an operation that helps individuals with obesity to lose weight. A bariatric surgery in India costs anywhere between Rs. 2.5 to Rs5 lakh, and the equipment and technology alone costs around Rs 1.75 lakh.

Tackling obesity may require more than healthy eating and exercise. Bariatric Surgery can be a logical solution in such times.

The good news is health insurers now offer a benefit for Bariatric Surgery, or you can avail Bariatric Surgery Insurance with your health insurance.

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