Am I a Candidate for Surgery?

Weight loss surgery is major surgery, and it is not appropriate for everyone who wants to lose weight. Candidates for weight loss surgery include:

• People with a body mass index (BMI)* of 40 or greater. Click here to calculate your BMI.

* BMI is a calculation based on your weight and height. 

• People with a BMI of 35-40 who also have health problems associated with obesity. These problems can include diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, heart disease, and degenerative joint disease.

Before being considered for weight loss surgery, you must be evaluated by an experienced surgeon and be considered an appropriate candidate. You also must have tried other weight loss methods, and be motivated and committed to the overall bariatric surgery process, which includes certain lifestyle changes.

Many insurance plans will pay for weight loss surgery and follow-up care as long as the National Institutes of Health guidelines for body mass index are used as qualifying criteria.

However, some insurance plans do have a weight loss surgery exclusion clause that require several months of participation in the bariatric program. Check with you insurance provider about your coverage. More information can be viewed on the Insurance Approval page.