Qualifying for surgery
Steps for qualifying
- Participate in an online information session as the first step.
Join an online session
- Complete a pre-operative evaluation with the surgeon, bariatric nurse practitioner or physician assistant, registered dietitian, and a psychologist.
- Verify you have in network insurance with bariatric surgery coverage.
- Commit to our post-operative program and to long-term lifestyle changes.
Medical criteria
- According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) patients with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 35 are eligible for surgery if they have weight related co-morbidities, such as Type 2 Diabetes. Patients with a BMI over 35 are candidates, even if they do not have weight related co-morbidities.
- Check your BMI here
- Your obesity must have persisted for at least two years.
- You have tried multiple medical weight loss attempts in the past five years.
- Your age is between 18 and 64 years (Over age 65 is evaluated on a case-by-case basis).
- You should not have untreated metabolic cause for obesity, such as thyroid or adrenal disorders.
- You should not have psychological or medical problems that would limit surgical success. Candidates with inpatient psychiatric admission within the past two years will be reviewed individually.
- You should not be drug, alcohol or tobacco dependent.
- If you are a current smoker, you must agree to quit and be smoke-free for a minimum of three months before surgery.
- If you have a history of substance abuse, you must be substance free for a minimum of two years.
- You cannot be pregnant and must be willing to postpone pregnancy for one to two years after surgery.
Insurance coverage
- Some health insurance plans require patients to have a BMI between 35 and 40 with weight related co-morbidities and a BMI over 40 with no weight related co-morbidities to be eligible for surgery.
- Some health insurance companies consider bariatric procedures elective. For this reason you must obtain insurance approval for the surgery.
- For patients not covered by insurance, there are self-pay options.
- While many of the costs incurred during the evaluation process will be covered by insurance, some charges may become the responsibility of the patient.