Will Insurance Pay for Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery can be very expensive from around $25,000 to $40,000 depending on the type of surgery you receive. This is not an amount of money that most people have just laying around the house, so they look toward their health insurance provider for help. The problem is understanding if your insurance company will help with the costs.

In America , many states have now passed laws through legislation that does require insurance companies to provide benefits for weight loss surgery, if the patient meets the requirements for surgery under the National Institutes of Health. However, just because there are laws to help does not mean that the process is an easy one. You will have to work very closely with your weight loss surgeon to, in fact, get everything together to ensure that your insurance company will cover the expenses.

Things you should do to ensure your insurance company will help with the costs of your weight loss surgery:

•  Be sure you read the certificate of coverage and that you understand exactly what it means.

•  In some cases, you will need to be referred to a weight loss surgeon from your regular doctor.

•  Have all of your medical records together. You will need such things as your diet history, health conditions brought on by obesity, anything else pertaining to your health and diet.

•  Records from a gym if you were a member and if this program aided in the loss of weight

•  A letter from the weight loss surgeon stating that this weight loss surgery is a medical necessary

What should be in the letter from the weight loss surgeon:

•  Your weight

•  Your height

•  Your body mass index

•  How long you have been overweight

•  Your health condition including any obesity related health problems

•  Your limitations brought on from being overweight

•  History of your dieting efforts

•  History of your exercise programs

•  Information showing how weight loss surgery can help your overall health

With this information, your insurance company should be able to help with the expenses of weight loss surgery.