{"id":149,"date":"2015-09-26T15:06:45","date_gmt":"2015-09-26T15:06:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/uchealth.com\/weightloss\/treatment-options\/surgical-weight-loss\/paying-for-surgery\/"},"modified":"2024-12-13T16:23:24","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T16:23:24","slug":"costs-and-payment-options","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/treatment-options\/surgical-weight-loss\/costs-and-payment-options\/","title":{"rendered":"Costs and Payment Options"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2>Paying for <em>Weight Loss Surgery<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>At the UC Health Weight Loss Center, we understand that for many patients, cost can be the deciding factor on moving forward with bariatric surgery. Weight loss surgery is expensive, and understanding your insurance coverage can be complicated. We work hard to make sure that everyone who is a qualified candidate and desires weight loss surgery is able to receive the life-changing procedure.<\/p>\n<h3>How <em>We Can Help<\/em><\/h3>\n<p>Our goal is to help you understand your specific benefit coverage and to educate you on your covered benefits, out-of-pocket expenses and our self-pay options. Our program accepts a variety of health insurance plans, but coverage varies widely. We work with you to determine what your specific policy covers. While we do not give financial advice, we can help you understand your options.<\/p>\n<p>If insurance is not an option, you may choose to pay for surgery on your own. Our patients fund the cost of the procedure through a variety of ways, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cash payments<\/li>\n<li>Credit cards<\/li>\n<li>Gifts from family and friends<\/li>\n<li>Loans from financial institutions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Regardless of which option is used to pay for weight loss surgery, our patients overwhelmingly tell us the decision to have weight loss surgery was well worth the investment.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;]<div class=\"ctabox bg-gray layout-vertical\"><h3><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/09\/6.WL_PayingForWLSurgery_WCH_11-14.pdf\">Insurance &amp; Payment<span>Information<\/span><\/a><\/h3><div class=\"text-content\">Get more detailed information regarding payment options and how to navigate coverage on our\u00a0insurance tip sheet.<\/div><a class=\"btn btn-uchred\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/09\/6.WL_PayingForWLSurgery_WCH_11-14.pdf\">Download Now<\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;]<div class=\"ctabox bg-gray layout-vertical\"><h3><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/08\/Financing-Flyer-UC-Weight-Loss-8-2019.pdf\">Self-Pay<span>Financing<\/span><\/a><\/h3><div class=\"text-content\">When insurance is not an option, learn more about a special financing opportunity for UC Health Weightloss Center patients.<\/div><a class=\"btn btn-uchred\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/08\/Financing-Flyer-UC-Weight-Loss-8-2019.pdf\">Download Now<\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2><em>Financial Benefits<\/em> of Weight Loss<\/h2>\n<p>Weight loss can save your life, but it can also save you money. The cost of obesity adds up quickly due to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>More doctor visits and extra medications to treat obesity-related conditions<\/li>\n<li>Time away from work or loss of employment due to weight-related issues<\/li>\n<li>Added food costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A recent George Washington University study looked at the costs of obesity. The study determined, on average, obese women spend an extra $4,800 a year on weight-related expenses. Obese men spend more than $2,500 per year. By understanding the cost burden of continued obesity, it becomes clear that weight loss surgery can pay for itself in reduced expenses over time.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the financial burdens you eliminate over the long term through bariatric surgery, you may want to consider the extraordinary changes you will experience in your quality of your life. Many of our patients found that losing excess weight renewed their confidence, helped put more energy into their careers, spend more quality time with their loved ones, become physically active, and improve their overall mental health and well being.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;99&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p>Improving your health and quality of life is one the best investments you can make.  We offer competitive pricing for our programs and work to understand potential insurance options.  Obesity treatment coverage is specific to individual insurance plans.  A weight loss center insurance specialist will check your benefits before starting a weight loss program.<\/p>\n<h3>Medical Weight Management<\/h3>\n<p>Medical weight loss programs include options for discounted self-pay appointments and meal replacement products but still cover visits with an obesity medicine physician.  Insurance benefits may cover a portion of the program specific to diagnosis and medical necessity.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to consider the overall costs and potential benefit.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Discounted self-pay programs for pre-payment.<\/li>\n<li>Insurance coverage for physician appointments.<\/li>\n<li>Labs may be covered at specific locations per individual policy.<\/li>\n<li>Meal replacement products replace normal grocery costs and, in many cases, less expensive overall.  These products contain the proper nutrition needed and make food planning easier.<\/li>\n<li>Nutrition benefits may be specific to a diagnosis.<\/li>\n<li>Virtual group visits save per appointment costs.<\/li>\n<li>Nutrition benefits may be limited to a certain number coverage period.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is important to review your benefit plans before staring a program and ask our insurance specialists questions.<br \/>\nA patient advocate will review costs and payment options based on the individual weight loss plan.<\/p>\n<h3>Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery<\/h3>\n<p>There are more weight loss surgery options available than ever before, but insurance coverage can be difficult to understand.  An insurance specialist will check your benefits and review detail prior to scheduling the first appointment.  Insurance benefits typically include bariatric surgery with specific requirements.<\/p>\n<h3>Qualifying Body Mass Index<\/h3>\n<p>Most insurance policies, including Medicare and Medicaid require surgery candidates have a BMI of 40 or 35-39.9 with an obesity-related condition such as diabetes, hypertension, or obstructive sleep apnea, and the procedure determined medically necessary.  Metabolic and bariatric surgery is recommended when BMI is 35 or 30 or greater with a metabolic disease such as diabetes.<\/p>\n<p>Insurance specific requirements may include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Physician supervised visits.<\/li>\n<li>Medical nutrition counseling.<\/li>\n<li>Behavioral health evaluation.<\/li>\n<li>Cardiac and other clearances.<\/li>\n<li>Nicotine free.<\/li>\n<li>Sleep apnea compliance.<\/li>\n<li>Documented weight loss history.<\/li>\n<li>No weight gain while in program.<\/li>\n<li>Other required testing including labs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some insurance policies may include limits to their coverage in terms of lifetime benefit, so it is important to understand the individual policy.  Bariatric surgery may not be covered the same as other surgeries.<\/p>\n<h3>Self-pay Options<\/h3>\n<p>If bariatric surgery is excluded from your benefits, we offer a bundled pricing structure that includes appointments before and after surgery.  Pre-payment is required two weeks before surgery and covers all appointments for one year.  A patient advocate can provide an estimate, and you are required to sign a financial agreement that includes BLIS Care complication protection.<\/p>\n<p>If you are interested in finance options, you may visit e-finance solutions <a href=\"https:\/\/efinancing-solutions.com\/loan-request?oid=3399.\">here<\/a>. E-finance solutions is available for patient convenience.  Correspondence, loan application, and status is between patient and the lender.  We encourage patients to review options that best meet your individual needs.<\/p>\n<h3>eFINANCING SOLUTIONS<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>No impact to credit score for pre-approval.<\/li>\n<li>Terms from 24 to 84 months.<\/li>\n<li>No down payment or upfront fees.<\/li>\n<li>Loan funds in 2 to 3 days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; el_class=&#8221;red-cta&#8221;][vc_column]<div class=\"ctabox bg-none layout-horizontal\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-3 headingcol\"><h3><a href=\"\/weightloss\/weight-loss-seminars\/\">Understanding<span>Your Options<\/span><\/a><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"col-md-6 contentcol\"><div class=\"text-content\"><\/p>\n<p>\nTake the first step to achieve long-term, healthy weight loss success.  Discover the approach that works for you.<\/p>\n<p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"col-md-3 btncol\"><a class=\"btn btn-uchred\" href=\"\/weightloss\/weight-loss-seminars\/\">Get Started<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text] Paying for Weight Loss Surgery At the UC Health Weight Loss Center, we understand that for many patients, cost can be the deciding factor on moving forward with bariatric surgery. Weight loss surgery is expensive, and understanding your insurance coverage can be complicated. We work hard to make sure that everyone who is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":0,"parent":57,"menu_order":14,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-149","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/85"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1059,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/149\/revisions\/1059"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/57"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.com\/weightloss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}