Call your insurance company and ask them the following question: “I am considering having an operative procedure performed whose CPT code is:

• 43644 (Roux-en-Y)
• 43770 (adjustable gastric banding)
• 43775 (sleeve gastrectomy)
• 43645 (duodenal switch)

Is this procedure an exclusion on my group policy?”

If it is an exclusion then surgery for obesity is not, nor can it become, a covered benefit. We do have self-pay options available with very competitive pricing.

Even if surgery for obesity is covered, to qualify you must have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, or a BMI greater than 35 if you also have significant medical problems. Calculate your BMI.

Finally, stop smoking! The risks of anesthesia are greatly increased if you are actively smoking and it takes about a month for the lungs to recover. Stop now! If you do not quit, or cannot quit, your surgery will likely be canceled.

The path to surgery typically takes two to three months after your first clinic visit. Each individual is carefully evaluated for all related medical conditions. This often requires special studies and occasionally consultations from medical specialists.

Only after we are completely satisfied that weight loss surgery is right for you and that both you and we are fully aware of associated risks will we proceed with the scheduling of surgery.

Patient Manual Index

• Introduction
• Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company
• Your Health Care Team
• Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
• Adjustable Gastric Banding Procedure
• Sleeve Gastrectomy
• Duodenal Switch
• Revisional Procedures
• Path to Surgery
• The First Clinic Visit
• The Preoperative Surgical Clinic Visit
• The Preoperative Educational Clinic Visit
• Preparation Instructions for Surgery
• Day of Surgery and Postoperative Stay
• Hospital Course Following a Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
• Hospital Course Following an Adjustable Gastric Banding Procedure
• Post Surgery Follow-up Care
• Potential Complications of Surgery