Question:
Is BPD/DS generally more difficult to get approved by insurance companies?

   — Jamie S. (posted on October 23, 2000)

October 23, 2000
I don't believe so because the surgeons use one code which is for gastric bypass. Good Luck !!
   — PrettyHotAndTempting

October 24, 2000
Here's a quote from Dr. Anthone at USC University Hospital when asked if Insurance Companies cover the DS: <i>Almost all private insurance companies, including HMO's, PPO's, Medicare, Medicaid and MediCal will approve the surgery if the indications for surgery are met. But, a patient should strictly read their policy beforehand just to make sure. There are some policies that strictly prohibit any treatment for obesity or morbid obesity. But by far and away 99% of all private insurers will cover it. If they deny it, there are legal ways to have them change their decision. So if you have private insurance you're usually in good shape. If you have Medicare insurance you're usually in good shape and even with Medicaid and MediCal. However, most surgeons are so busy now and they're so booked that a lot of them are choosing only the patients with the best payers. As a matter of fact, there is such an explosion in surgery for morbid obesity that there aren't enough surgeons to do all this morbid obesity surgery now. We're in the midst of this sort of crisis where a lot of us who do the surgery are having to make our patients wait. I would advise that a patient not have their surgery done by a surgeon who is not a member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery. That usually tells you that the surgeon is devoted as much to the post-surgery care as to the surgery, which is just as important.</i>
   — [Deactivated Member]