Value-Based Insurance Coverage for Bariatric Surgery: Time for Surgeons to Lead the Change

The journey toward insurance coverage for bariatric surgery has been tortuous and haphazard. Despite the safety and effectiveness of bariatric surgery, private insurance coverage of bariatric surgery varies widely. For example, bariatric surgery coverage is determined as an “essential health benefit” in 23 of 50 states,1 and the essential health benefit policy applies only to insurance plans in the ACA's individual and small group marketplaces—not to employer-sponsored insurance, which represents the majority of bariatric surgery patients.

Source: Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases - December 5, 2018 Category: Surgery Authors: Karan R. Chhabra, Justin B. Dimick, A. Mark Fendrick Source Type: research