If it’s time for you to make an investment in your health, our weight loss surgery insurance expert will help you complete the needed steps to get pre-approval. Getting insurance approval for weight-loss surgery can be a long and challenging process, but we’re here to support you. Get approved for your surgery by following these tips:
- Call your insurance company and find out if they will pay for weight-loss surgery and follow-up care.
- Ask for the criteria that your insurance company uses to approve or qualify a person for surgery. Most companies require a BMI of 40 or greater or 100 pounds over ideal body weight, or a BMI of 35 or greater with associated risk factors such as diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and other health problems related to obesity.
If you receive a diagnosis of obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes, you can save money by paying for weight loss surgery with a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA). You may also be able to get tax deductions to help with the cost. To learn more, talk with your tax advisor or the administrator of your HSA or FSA account.
Most insurance companies require these items for weight loss surgery:
Please remember your insurance requirements for bariatric surgery will vary based on your specific plan. Below are the most common insurance plan requirements.
- Clinical diagnosis of your medical conditions
- Documentation of professionally/medically supervised diet plans in the past three to six months
- Referral letter from primary physician may be needed
- Copies of your medical records
- A psychological evaluation
- Dietary evaluation
Contact our insurance specialist by calling (319) 352-8033.
