Gastric Balloon Cost Insurance & Discounts
The average gastric balloon cost is $8,150. It is usually not covered by insurance, although your doctor may be able to get some of the costs covered.
The price can often be reduced through tax deductions and special doctor-specific discounts.
This page covers everything you need to know about paying for the gastric balloon procedure.
Why Is There A Gap Payment For Weight Loss Surgery
You may be wondering why is there an out of pocket or Gap cost for weight loss surgery, even though you may be having top hospital cover. The costs associated with weight loss surgery are not just due to surgeon, anaesthetist and assistant fees. Rather a large component of this is geared towards our exhaustive After Surgery Support program. Our After Surgery Support program has an outstanding reputation and this is reflected in our testimonials.
Routine Liver Biopsy For Bariatric Surgery
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons , with input from the Clinical Issues Committee of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery , have issued the following guideline for liver biopsy as a part of preoperative medical evaluation bariatric surgery: “The liver may be assessed by hepatic profile and ultrasound. In cases of suspected cirrhosis, biopsy may be indicated.”
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, Obesity Society, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgerys clinical practice guidelines on “The perioperative nutritional, metabolic, and nonsurgical support of the bariatric surgery patient” stated that “Consideration can be made for liver biopsy at the time of surgery to document steatohepatitis and/or cirrhosis that may otherwise be unknown due to normal appearance and/or liver function tests ” .
An UpToDate review on “Bariatric operations for management of obesity: Indications and preoperative preparation” states that “For patients suspected to have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on the basis of hepatomegaly on the physical examination, liver function tests are obtained. In addition, radiographic imaging is obtained, such as an ultrasound or a computed tomography scan, or a biopsy may be required to evaluate for cirrhosis”.
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Medicare Coverage For Bariatric Weight Loss Surgeries
Home / FAQs / Medicare Coverage / Medicare Coverage for Bariatric Weight Loss Surgeries
Medicare coverage for bariatric weight loss surgery is available for individuals eligible due to morbid obesity. When it comes to fighting obesity, weight-loss surgery is known as one of the most efficient approaches. Today, nearly 40% of US adults are obese, an estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity increases many pressing health risks that may significantly decrease a persons quality of life and shorten their lifespan.
Are Weight Loss Plans Covered Under Medicare
Original Medicare does cover weight loss programs, therapy, screenings and surgery if your doctor or health care provider decides that treatment is medically necessary.
Medicare Advantage plans also cover weight loss programs when they’re medically necessary.
Some Medicare Advantage plans also offer free memberships to wellness programs like SilverSneakers, gym memberships and nutritional home meal delivery.
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Weight Gain After Gastric Bypass
After getting a Roux-en-Y in Maryland, you should experience weight loss that will speed up, slow down, and plateau at various times until you reach your ideal weightassuming you are maintaining a proper diet and exercise routine. However, the occasional patient will only experience initial weight loss, then begin gaining again. An even smaller percentage never lose weight at all.
When a patient gains weight after gastric bypass surgery, it is important that their doctor ascertains the reason this is occurring. This will not only determine what the next steps are, but also might impact whether or not Medicare will pay for gastric bypass revision.
Medicare Bariatric Surgery Requirements
What are Medicare Bariatric Surgery Requirements? Do you qualify for Medicares bariatric program?
Medicare does cover bariatric surgeries as long as the patient qualifies according to their requirements. The patient must have a body mass index greater than 35, have at least one co-morbidity related to obesity and have documentation in their medical records confirming that they have tried to lose weight on their own with no success. If all of these things apply, the patient may apply for one of these weight loss surgery options:
NOTE: Medicare does not cover the gastric balloon surgery at this time.
What are Co-Morbidities?
Comorbidity is a disease that is a result of ones obesity. Examples of co-morbidities include :
- Sleep apnea
- GERD
How to Get Approved For Weight Loss Surgery with Medicare
To get approved, you will need to be referred by your primary care physician. In their referral to a bariatric surgeon, they need to apply to your obesity health problems that are expected to improve following this type of surgery. You will need to choose a facility that meets their minimum facility standards and certification requirements. Contact them directly during this decision-making process. Regardless of what Medicare plan you have, talk directly with your surgeon to make sure they accept your insurance.
- Editor
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Mini Sleeve Gastrectomy By Natural Orifice Trans
Erridge and colleagues summarized the clinical applications of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery in bariatric surgery. These investigators carried out a review of data, until December 2014 regarding techniques and outcomes of bariatric NOTES procedures. A total of 9 publications were included in the final analysis, with another 6 papers describing endolumenal procedures included for comparison. All NOTES studies adopted a hybrid procedure. Hybrid NOTES sleeve gastrectomy was described in 4 humans and 2 porcine studies. In humans, 6 subjects were converted to conventional laparoscopic methods, and 1 post-operative complication was reported. Mean excess weight loss was 46.6 % . The authors concluded that transvaginal-assisted sleeve gastrectomy appeared feasible and safe when performed by appropriately trained professionals. However, they stated that improvements must be made to overcome current technical limitations.
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Gastric Balloon Cost Vs Other Weight Loss Procedures
SECTION SUMMARY:
- Gastric balloon has the lowest self-pay cost
- If your insurance covers bariatric surgery, other procedures may cost less than the gastric balloon
Gastric balloon has the lowest total cost out of all available types of weight loss surgery. It has the 3rd highest cost for patients with insurance.
See our Types of Bariatric Surgery page for a full comparison.
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Does Medicare Cover Gastric Bypass Surgery
Yes, after an obesity screening with a BMI test and counseling Medicare may cover gastric bypass surgery. However, you must meet the criteria for morbid obesity and satisfy any deductible costs.
Part A helps cover the inpatient hospital expenses if surgery is an outpatient procedure, Part B helps pay 80% of costs for doctor services and supplies. Part D will cover any prescription medications that your doctor prescribes after surgery.
There are still other out of pocket costs, as the remaining 20% under Part B and both the Part A and B deductible. A Medicare Supplement plan would cover most, if not all, of this expense.
Medicare Part B Costs
Your out-of-pocket costs with Medicare Part B include monthly premiums, coinsurance, and the annual deductible. In 2022, the Part B annual deductible is $233. You must pay this amount out-of-pocket before Medicare begins paying its share.
You also have a monthly premium of $170.10 even if you join a Medicare Advantage plan. Finally, there is the standard Part B coinsurance of 20 percent of the Medicare-approved cost. So, if your surgery is an outpatient procedure and costs $20,000 , your co-insurance would be $4,000. That is in addition to any other costs accrued prior to your surgery.
You may also have Part B costs if you have inpatient surgery, as doctor services received while in the hospital still fall under Part B. Outpatient surgery performed in a hospital setting may also have a copayment. It is always a good idea to talk to your healthcare providers to form a better idea of your costs for any procedure.
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Conversion Of Sleeve Gastrectomy To Roux
Langer and colleagues noted that due to excellent weight loss success in the short-time follow-up, sleeve gastrectomy has gained popularity as the sole and definitive bariatric procedure. In the long-term follow-up, WL failure and intractable severe reflux can necessitate further surgical intervention. These investigators carried out a retrospective analysis of laparoscopic conversions from SG to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass to assess the efficacy for reflux relief and WL success 8 out of 73 patients underwent conversion to RYGB for severe reflux or weight regain after a median interval of 33 months following laparoscopic SG . In 1 of the patients, a banded gastric bypass was performed. In both groups, conversion to RYGB was successful, as proton pump inhibitor medication could be discontinued in all patients presenting with severe reflux, and a significant WL could be achieved in the patients with WR within a median follow-up of 33 months. Post-operative complications were observed in only 1 patient as leakage at the gastrojejunostomy was successfully treated by temporary stent placement. The authors concluded that conversion to RYGB was an effective treatment for WR or intractable reflux symptoms following SG. Therefore, SG could be performed, intended as the sole and definitive bariatric intervention, with conversion from SG to RYGB as an exit strategy for these complications.
Rationale For Intensive Multicomponent Behavioral Intervention
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that clinicians offer or refer obese adults to intensive, multicomponent behavioral interventions . The USPSTF found adequate evidence that behavior-based weight loss interventions in adults with obesity can lead to clinically significant improvements in weight status and reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes among adults with obesity and elevated plasma glucose levels. The USPSTF found adequate evidence to bound the harms of intensive, multicomponent behavioral interventions in adults with obesity as small to none, based on the absence of reported harms in the evidence and the noninvasive nature of the interventions.
Most of the intensive behavioral weight loss interventions considered by the USPSTF lasted for 1 to 2 years, and the majority had 12 or more sessions in the first year . Most behavioral interventions encouraged self-monitoring of weight and provided tools to support weight loss or weight loss maintenance .
Among technology-based interventions, intervention components included computer- or web-based intervention modules, web-based self-monitoring, mobile phonebased text messages, smartphone applications, social networking platforms, or DVD learning . Only 1 trial delivered its intervention through print-based tailored materials.
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Contraindications To Bariatric Surgery According To Medicare Bariatric Surgery Guidelines And My Bariatric Solution Guidelines
Surgery for severe obesity is a major surgical intervention with a risk of significant early and late morbidity and perioperative mortality. Surgery for severe obesity is not covered in the presence of absolute contraindications, including the following:
- Prohibitive perioperative risk of cardiac complications due to cardiac ischemia or myocardial dysfunction.
- Severe chronic obstructive airway disease or respiratory dysfunction.
- Non-compliance with medical treatment of obesity or treatment of other chronic medical condition.
- Failure to cease tobacco use.
- Psychological/psychiatric conditions:
- Schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, suicidal ideation, severe or recurrent depression, or bipolar affective disorders with difficult-to-control manifestations .
- Mental retardation that prevents personally provided informed consent or the ability to understand and comply with a reasonable pre and post-operative regimen.
- Any other psychological/psychiatric disorder that, in the opinion of a psychologist/psychiatrist, imparts a significant risk of psychological/psychiatric decompensation or interference with the long-term postoperative management.
Note:
Criteria For Coverage Of Surgery Costs
In order for Medicaid to cover the cost of your surgery and the associated surgeon visits, you must meet the requirements below.
- Over the age of 13 for a female and 15 for a male.
- Body Mass Index must be over 35 with at least one comorbidity.
- Co-morbidities include sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes.
You Might Not Qualify for Weight Loss Surgery Coverage if:
- Long-term steroid use
- Inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pancreatitis, pregnancy, or non-compliance with medical treatment.
- Psychological treatment that might interfere with post-operative compliance with diet and lifestyle.
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Is Bariatric Surgery Covered By Insurance
Most commercial insurance plans approve all four typical weight loss surgical procedures gastric bypass, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding with LAP-BAND® or REALIZE® bands, or duodenal switch procedures for the appropriate patients.
To receive approval, a patient usually needs to have a BMI above 40, or a BMI between 35 and 39 if the patient also has certain medical conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, or high blood pressure. Some insurance companies have a mandatory three-month weight management protocol that you must complete before surgery. Some have a protocol as long as six months.
For all plans, dietary and psychological evaluations are mandatory. This is a practical step that helps ensure your readiness for the procedure.
Your medical team can work with you to help you meet the particular requirements of your health plan in order to qualify for insurance coverage.
What Is Biliopancreatic Diversion With Duodenal Switch
Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch is similar to gastric bypass, in that it creates a smaller stomach and bypasses most of the small intestine. However, instead of creating a small, pouch-like stomach, BPD/DS uses sleeve gastrectomy to remove 80 percent of the stomach. The gastric sleeve leaves a tube-shaped stomach that resembles a banana. The patient gets the same benefits feeling full more quickly thanks to a smaller stomach and malabsorption of calories. Unfortunately, this also leads to the same nutrition deficiencies seen in gastric bypass. The procedure is extremely effective, although it has more risks than either gastric bypass or LAP-BAND. Typically, your doctor will only recommend BPD/DS if your body mass index is over 50.
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Will A Medicare Advantage Plan Cover Weight Loss Surgery
Coverage for any procedure with a Medicare Advantage plan can change depending on a range of circumstances. UnitedHealthcare has an Advantage plan that covers weight loss surgery after meeting the plans guidelines.
Advantage plans determine the level of benefits and costs of service based on the service area, health condition, and medical necessity.
Medicare Advantage beneficiaries should contact their policy directly if unsure about coverage and benefits.
When Does Medicare Cover Gastric Bypass Surgery
Medicare covers bariatric surgery as long as your doctor considers it medically necessary for you. Generally, this means that they feel the procedure will provide health benefits beyond traditional treatments and is a better option than just continuing to treat with diet and exercise alone. However, there are some exceptions: Medicare wont cover surgeries if your doctor decides that doing so would be too risky or potentially dangerous in light of other medical conditions you have at the time.
The criteria can also change over time for example, certain gastric bypasses require patients to stay overnight after leaving the hospital, but newer procedures allow them to go home on the same day instead. If youre considering joining one of these programs, make sure that you find out from your insurance company if they cover the cost of home surgery.
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Medicare And Weight Loss Surgery
Medicare covers weight loss surgery in many cases, including roux en y gastric bypass, duodenal switch, and lap band surgery. Any other weight loss procedures are deemed experimental and will not be covered by Medicare. Some of these might include a gastric balloon, intestinal bypass, or liposuction.
However, you must meet specific coverage requirement, including:
- Body mass index of 35 or greater
- Passed psychological evaluation
- An illness that is directly related to obesity
- Documented evidence of obesity for the last five consecutive years
- Proof of medically supervised weight loss program completion or nutritional counseling
- A physicians letter supporting or recommending weight loss surgery
- Normal screening tests that prove that there are no other medical issues that are causing your obesity
Medicare looks at each case uniquely. You must be able to provide the scientific facts of your obesity, in addition to the documentation that youve met the other Medicare requirements. It may take a few months to get all of these things in order and to get an answer from Medicare to see if you have been approved.
Prophylactic Mesh Placement For Prevention Of Incisional Hernia After Open Bariatric Surgery
In a systematic review and meta-analysis, Dasari and colleagues examined if mesh prevents post-operative incisional hernia in open and laparoscopic bariatric surgery patients. A total of 7 studies met inclusion criteria. These investigators abstracted data regarding post-operative IH development, surgical site infection, and seroma or wound leakage and performed a meta-analysis. The prophylactic mesh group had significantly decreased odds of developing IH than the standard closure group . No included studies evaluated outcomes after prophylactic mesh during laparoscopic bariatric surgery. The authors concluded that prophylactic mesh during open bariatric surgery appeared to be beneficial in reducing post-operative IH without significant increasing the odds of surgical site infection or seroma or wound leakage. Moreover, they stated that higher quality studies, including those in laparoscopic patients, and cost-utility analysis, are needed to support routine use of this intervention.
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