Bariatric surgery for weight loss may be a life-saving procedure, but it is not cheap. Although a number of insurance companies cover the procedure, many individuals find that their medical insurance providers balk at the cost. Most insurance companies require a letter outlining a patientÂ’s weigh-loss history and the medical necessity for the surgery before they will even consider financing the procedure. Even with a carefully crafted letter, many insurance companies will refuse to authorize the surgery.
Bariatric Surgery Costs
The cost of Bariatric surgery can be quite high. The typical price of an operation can be $25,000 or more. Medical insurance coverage varies by state and insurance provider, and although some states have legislation in place that requires insurers to offer weight loss surgery for patients, providing it meets health criteria laid down by the National Institutes of Health, other states do not. This means that patients who would benefit from bariatric surgery often have to contend with providers that have not yet accepted that this kind of weight loss surgery can deliver powerful medical benefits that will save them money in the long run. A patient encountering this problem may have to work with his or her surgeon to prove to the health insurance provider that the proposed surgery is not a cosmetic procedure, but a potentially life-saving operation that will minimize future health problems.