From an insurance perspective, to qualify for bariatric surgery often requires a comprehensive review of your current health status. Additionally, your health care provider will help make the determination, which depends on several factors.
Together with everyone entrusted to provide for your health care, the weight-loss-surgery experts at WeightWise will factor in all the variables to make a final determination as to whether or not you qualify.
But don’t worry. It sounds much more complicated than it really is. Qualifying for bariatric surgery simply means that you fit a certain profile based on a number of criteria.
Candidates for bariatric surgery have increased risks of obesity-related conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions. That’s why it’s crucial for people with a BMI of 35 or higher (more on this below) to consider ways to lose weight when other methods have failed.
How to qualify for bariatric surgery
Right off the bat, we should say that qualifying here does not mean you have to reach some level of achievement. Instead, in the case of qualifying for bariatric surgery, it means most or all of the following:
- You’re 100 pounds or more overweight
- You have weight-related health conditions (for example, Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure)
- Your body mass index (BMI) is over 40
- Your BMI is at least 35 with two comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, etc.)
- You are otherwise unable to reach a healthy body weight (even with the aid of medically supervised diets)
Furthermore, qualifying for bariatric procedures means learning the risks and benefits of this type of surgery. It also means you must commit to some significant lifestyle changes in order to maintain a healthy weight.
We go more in-depth on this topic here.
There’s no official age limit or minimum age, but most people that we treat are at least 18 years old on average.
Some surgeries may be more appropriate for you than others. There are several types of weight loss surgery for which you may be a good candidate: gastric bypass, gastric banding, gastric sleeve, and duodenal switch. We describe each of these surgeries here.
Which operation is best for you? That will depend on what you and your surgeon decide. It’s also important to discuss the possibility of weight loss surgery with your insurance company.
Finally, consider that some people may find success with other programs (for example, metabolic) and bariatrics surgery may be unnecessary.
One thing is certain: Weight loss contributes to an improvement in one’s quality of life. It also has a profound effect on one’s mental health, in addition to the physical benefits that are inherent in maintaining a healthy weight.
We are here for you, so please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.