There are 5 simple steps that all insurance companies require before granting approval for weight loss surgery.  When you make your first appointment in our office, we will give you more details on how to accomplish these steps more efficiently.  But in general the steps are:

Step 1- Call your Insurance Company

Before doing anything else, please first call your health insurance company to find out if your policy covers weight loss surgery when medically necessary.  If your policy has an exclusion for bariatric procedures, your surgery would be an out-of-pocket expense.  Some plans require that you try to lose weight with your primary care doctor for 3 – 6 months before you can be approved, so please check with your insurance before going any farther.

Step 2- Psychological Evaluation

All patients must have a psychological evaluation before weight loss surgery.  We will provide you with a list of recommended doctors for this evaluation.

Step 3- Get Medical Records

Weight loss surgery is a last resort option for people who have been struggling with obesity for years.  Insurance companies want to see proof that you have struggled with your weight for years.  A doctor’s note from an old office visit is the only acceptable proof.  Your weight shown on any kind of doctor’s note is what you need.  A total of 6 doctor’s notes is required.  You need one note from each year for the last 6 years. 

Step 4- Labs

You will need to get some routine labs drawn before your surgery.  You can get your blood work from your primary care doctor’s office.  We will give you a list of the required labs at your first appointment.

Step 5- Nutrition Evaluation

You will need to call our office to make an appointment to see your surgeon, who will perform your initial assessment to make sure you are a good candidate for weight loss surgery.

During your visit, you will also see a nutritionist who will walk you through how to eat differently after your surgery.  This evaluation is mandatory because the success of the surgery depends so much on it.