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If being obese is not difficult enough, getting your insurance to pay for the surgery to give you better health and better peace of mind can be difficult. This bariatric surgery often happens when you have tried every diet possible along with exercise and have had a consultation with your physician. These procedures include gastric bypass, gastric banding, and biliopancreatic diversion, all to restrict the amount of food that you can eat, thus allowing you to lose weight quickly. There are many benefits to having gastric bypass performed. One of these is that you should expect to live a healthier longer life. It slows the natural process of diabetes, heat disease, and many cancers. Your Physician will likely recommend that you have the procedure done if your BMI is at least 40 or 35 paired with a disease that is related to your obesity. Having bariatric surgery can be quite expensive, sometimes reaching upwards of $26,000. Often, even after your physician has contacted your insurance company, it will still not pay the cost of your surgery. Sometimes you have to ask more than once to get approval from your insurance. These same insurance companies will pay for t hose conditions that are caused by being obese. The best way to get coverage is to join a group health plan that your employer has specifically chosen for that option. When you are making a claim on your insurance you need to know exactly what your terms are and exactly what is covered and excluded. You will likely need your entire medical history, as the insurance company will believe that it is medically necessary. You will also need documented previous attempts as weight loss and a request for pre-authorization. There may be some paperwork, so be prepared. Other ways that help you get your insurance to cover your weight loss procedure including changing from an HMO to a PPO and working through a provider if that is an option. You could also change from being covered by your employer to your spouse's employer if his plan does cover it, get job with a company that has an insurance policy does cover it, and finally, consider paying all your costs yourself. If your insurance company does deny you, you can always appeal your decision. This will usually require you to provide any information to prove that your bariatric surgery was important medically. If you do decide to appeal, make sure that you understand the procedure for the process, including time limits. Just remember that any time you are dealing with insurance, you need to keep very good records with both parties in the process. This will assure that you have done your best, no matter what the outcome. Looking to have a bariatric surgery in Houston? Learn more about the professionals at Texas Endosurgery Associates and what they have to offer, by visiting: http://www.obesitysurgeryhouston.com.
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