• What Is Obesity?
• Is Surgery Right for Me?
• Surgery Options
• Outcomes
• Weight Loss Surgery Timeline
  • Learning about Bariatric Surgery
  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Meet Your Surgeon
  • Pre-Operative Testing
  • Insurance Approval
  • Preparing for Your Operation
  • Recovery Room
  • Hospital Stay
  • Follow-Up
• Meet Our Patients
• Free Informational Session
• Support Group
• Resources
• Bariatric Center of Excellence
• Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery℠

Weight Loss Surgery Timeline

Insurance Approval

Most insurance plans will cover weight loss surgery as long as the National Institutes of Health guidelines for body mass index are used as qualifying criteria. However, some plans do have a weight loss surgery exclusion clause and some plans may require a period of monitored dieting prior to approval.

Approval must be obtained for your surgery. The weight loss nurse specialist at BMI will assist you with obtaining authorization. Your surgeon will also send a letter to your insurance company to document why the procedure is medically necessary. In some cases appealing an initial insurance denial or even changing insurance companies may become necessary.