Posts tagged insurance
Medical Weight Loss Programs Unnecessarily Delay Bariatric Surgery
While it is not uncommon for insurance carriers to require completion of a six-month medically supervised weight loss program as a condition of approval for weight loss surgery, it may be time for them to reconsider the waiting period requirement. A medical weight management program typically combines diet, exercise, behavioral therapy, and pharmacotherapy. The rationale [...]
Read the full article →Bariatric Surgery Insurance Denials Pose Additional Patient Risks
Patients who were medically eligible for bariatric surgery but denied coverage by their health insurance were highly likely to develop obesity comorbidities within a few years even though their body mass index (BMI) remained relatively unchanged, according to a study recently presented at the 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric [...]
Read the full article →Insurance Company to Cover Newer Method of Bariatric Surgery
Aetna, one of the nations largest health insurers, revised its policy on obesity surgery this month to include open and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy among its covered bariatric procedures. The sleeve gastrectomy procedure, often referred to as the gastric sleeve, is a newer method of bariatric surgery that is gaining in popularity as a treatment for [...]
Read the full article →United Healthcare Covers Gastric Sleeve
United Healthcare (UHC), one of the largest health carriers in the United States, has changed its bariatric medical policy to include coverage for gastric sleeve surgery. The new policy, which went into effect October 1, 2009, is a significant event for bariatric surgery patients and gastric sleeve advocates. UHC’s decision reflects a fundamental change in [...]
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