If my insurance covers gastric bypass surgery, do I have to go through the long process of getting approved?

Question

My cousin has gastric bypass surgery, and to get insurance to pay she had to go through 6 months of "medically treated weightloss", whatever that is, and had to write a long letter on why she felt she needed the surgery. She had to go see a phychiatrist for a evaluation, had to get a pap smear, and all kinds of other stuff. I checked with my insurance, and it covers bypass surgery. It just has to be pre-certified. Which any surgery I may have has to be precertified. So I was wondering since my insurance will pay, will I have to go through that long process too?

Answer 1

you probably will have to go through the same things as your cousin. The insurance company wants to make sure that you can be helped through other means as bypass surgery is serious and very expensive.

telephone your insurance company and ask what is required for you to get the gastric bypass surgery.

Answer 2

YES... Weight Loss Surgery is not a set-it-and-forget-it solution. There are way to many other variables and factors involved. From a emotion and medical point of view, too many variables. You really need to be prepared, and your doctor has to tell you if you can qualify for it also.