Insurance and Obesity Surgery

The treatment of obesity is a covered benefit under many insurance policies. Coverage depends on what type of policy you have and the terms within the policy.

Each insurance policy can vary greatly, even when issued by the same company. Your employer dictates the coverage in your policy.

Many insurance companies will pay for gastric bypass surgery if you meet certain conditions.

However, many other insurance companies have “Exclusion” clauses for treating obesity. These companies refuse to cover any treatment related to "losing weight." They will only treat the diseases caused by excessive body weight.

Unfortunately, many policies have “Exclusions” written into them. This means that even though the treatment may be “Medically Necessary”, it is not a covered benefit. Patients with BMI below 45 are less likely to get approved.