For some patients, the process of insurance approval for bariatric surgery is fairly straight forward. Some patients face a greater challenge. Our staff knows the ins and outs required by most insurance carriers. Because of our experience, we can help patients navigate through the paperwork and requirements that the insurance companies request.
For patients with medical insurance, The Snow Bariatric Center team experts will handle all insurance applications. Working with us is the most effective and efficient process for obtaining approval of your weight loss surgery. We will assist you in preparing a complete, detailed and well documented application to your insurance company. Obtaining insurance approval can be a lengthy process, but we will monitor your approval process and let you know if any further information is required.
Here are some key steps you should take to obtain insurance coverage for weight loss surgery:
Call Your Insurance Company
Ask about weight loss surgery and if your policy has coverage for this type of service. Some policies will exclude weight loss treatment. Some include weight loss surgery as a benefit. Remember, every insurance policy is different. We will also contact your insurance company to verify your benefits prior to your initial consultation. Don’t be discourage if you do not benefits for weight loss surgery. You have other options for treatment.
Visit Your Primary Care Physician
Request copies of your medical records from physicians who have treated you in the past 5 years if possible. Also, document your history of dieting efforts. All this information is necessary for pre-certification with most insurance companies. Ask your doctor to write a letter of support for your weight loss surgery. The documents and your history will be valuable to have at every stage of the approval process and are mandatory to attain approvals in most instances.
Although this seems like a complicated process, our team of experts will assist you along the way through every step of the approval process. We have years of experience working with insurance companies and are familiar with the requirements of most major insurance carriers.
