Insurance

Verify Coverage

Before committing to gastric bypass surgery, you should call your insurance company and verify that you will have health insurance coverage for Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass or Adjustable Gastric Lap Banding. Most insurance cards will have a “benefits line” phone number on the back. Call that number and ask if you have the benefit for the procedure code 43644, which is the Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass code.

Evaluations Before Surgery

Some insurance providers require that you get a psychological evaluation and/or a nutritional evaluation prior to approval for surgery. You can find information about behavioral health physicians on our web site or contact St. Luke's InfoLink by phone at 1-877-610-6161, or by e-mail at infolink@slhn.org.

Authorization Process

Most insurance providers will require a psychiatric and nutritional evaluation while others may ask for consultation(s) with certain specialists. Many insurance providers require that a six-month nutrition and exercise program be followed prior to approval, while others may require a shorter process.

You should start documenting all previous weight loss attempts and diets. This will be an important part of the insurance approval process. You may have an out-of-pocket expense or deductible depending on your plan, so be certain to know what your insurance requires. All deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses will need to be paid in full prior to your surgery date.