Article on Weight Loss Surgery Requirements is a Useful Reminder of Insurance Companies' Willingness to Support Procedures, notes Dr. Feiz & Associates

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 23, 2015

According to an article published by Emax Health on September 11th, most insurance companies have a very specific and similar set of criteria when it comes to determining which of their customers are eligible for weight loss surgery coverage. The article notes that around two-thirds of the American public is either overweight or obese, leading to monumental societal costs every year due to the vast expense of treating obesity-related diseases. Because these costs are primarily incurred by insurance companies, they are eager to explore possible cost-saving investments. According to Los Angeles bariatric surgeon Michael Feiz, M.D., F.A.C.S., weight loss surgery has been shown time and time again to be one of the best investments a patient can make towards a future in which they are able to maintain a healthy weight. Yet, the restrictions imposed by insurance companies as to which obese patients are eligible for surgery point out a number of important considerations about the procedures.

The first common requirement, according to the article, is that patients should have a BMI of 40 or above to be eligible for weight loss surgery. Dr. Feiz notes that this article is put in place to prevent people who simply aim to lose a relatively small amount from resorting to weight loss surgery. While the procedures are extremely effective, Dr. Feiz notes that they are also very significant, and in many cases not reversible.

However, as noted both by the article and by Dr. Feiz, many insurers provide an exception to anyone who has a BMI from 35 to 40 but who is also suffering from one of the all-too common obesity related co-morbidities, including diabetes or heart disease. Dr. Feiz notes that, because these individuals have an urgent health concern that could be helped by rapid weight loss, they are deserving of additional prioritization when it comes to surgery coverage – a fact that insurance companies are typically very aware of and responsive to.

Dr. Feiz has nearly decade of experience with bariatric surgery, and during that time he has been proud to see the insurance community and the medical community in general embrace bariatric surgery as a life-saving procedure that is also a truly worthwhile investment in a patient's future. Any patients interested in seeing if bariatric surgery is right for them can learn more about Dr. Feiz, his practices, and the procedures he performs by calling Dr. Feiz and Associates at 310-855-8058 or by visiting the medical office online at http://www.DrFeiz.com.

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