| Most insurance companies in the USA pay for | | | | arthritis, high blood pressure, type 2 |
| bariatric surgeries (weight loss or obesity | | | | diabetes, gout, lower back pain, pregnancy |
| surgery). But the process to obtain approval | | | | complications, bladder control problems and |
| is a lengthy one & not all qualify due to it. | | | | cancer to name a few. Additions to this are |
| The patient needs to establish a medical | | | | psychological disorders like low self esteem, |
| necessity. Following are the points they | | | | depression & eating disorders. |
| consider: | | | | |
| | | | According to United States government |
| - Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher | | | | research report published in New York Times |
| and morbidly obesity. BMI is a number | | | | in 2004, obesity is near to overtaking |
| calculated from a person's weight and height | | | | smoking as the No. 1 cause of death in the |
| and is used as an indicator of body fatness | | | | United States(tobacco related deaths are |
| to categorize obesity. | | | | still number 1 with 18.1 percent). According |
| | | | to a November 2007 report by National Center |
| - Prove obesity as an issue for more than | | | | for Health Statistics obesity rate in the |
| five years. | | | | United States was 34 percent (U.S. adults |
| | | | aged 20 and over). Obesity by them is defined |
| - Have exhausted all serious efforts to | | | | as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. |
| reduce weight by non-surgical methods (pills, | | | | |
| exercise, dieting, creams & location, special | | | | The stringent requirements that a patient has |
| clothing etc). | | | | to meet for bariatric health insurance |
| | | | benefits, discourages many from being able to |
| - You have co-morbidities (Medical illnesses | | | | avail the weight loss surgery benefits of |
| diseases that are either caused by or | | | | their health insurance plan(even if their |
| contributed to by morbid obesity. For | | | | insurance policy covers it). |
| example, diabetes, high blood pressure, high | | | | |
| cholesterol, sleep apnea, and arthritis) | | | | A viable alternative that is being explored |
| | | | by many is for affordable bariatric surgeries |
| Along, with this the patient also needs to | | | | at an overseas location. These include common |
| provide the insurance company data about | | | | bariatric surgery like lap band, gastric |
| their: | | | | bypass & gastric sleeve surgery. Popular |
| | | | destinations for US patients seeking cost |
| - Medical condition related to liver, | | | | effective bariatric surgery is Mexico & Costa |
| kidney,heart, diabetes, or any | | | | Rica. Many surgeons at these overseas |
| gastrointestinal disease | | | | location have more experince than their US |
| | | | counterparts. Many times the total cost of |
| - Thyroid Test Results | | | | surgery and travel expenses combined, is |
| | | | still less than the cost the patient would |
| - Any history of alcohol or substance | | | | pay if the insurance paid its part of the |
| abuse | | | | medical insurance coverage. |
| | | | |
| It makes business sense for health insurance | | | | For patients that do not have their insurance |
| companies to pay for weight loss surgery. | | | | covering bariatric surgery in the USA, |
| There is a number of health risk associated | | | | Medical Tourism Corporation helps with high |
| with obesity that would cost the insurance | | | | quality bariatric surgery hospital & centers |
| companies more money if the bariatric surgery | | | | overseas. A page that has links to articles |
| is not performed upfront. Health risks | | | | on weight loss (bariatric) surgery can also |
| associated with obesity are heart disease, | | | | accessed for more information and knowledge. |