Your LifeWise Insurance weight loss surgery insurance coverage depends on several factors, all of which are reviewed below.
To request a free insurance check, click here to contact a local surgeon. Alternatively, use the tool below to find out if you have coverage.
LifeWise of Washington and Oregon
LifeWise provides health insurance to residents of the states of Washington and Oregon. The information on this page applies to people in both states.
Read and click below for additional weight loss surgery insurance details.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click on any of the topics below to jump directly to that section
SECTION SUMMARY:
- 35+ Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Documentation of failed diet attempts
- Psychological evaluation
READ THIS FIRST
Even if your insurance company covers bariatric surgery in some plans, that does not mean that your specific plan covers it. The obesity surgery approval requirements in this section assume that weight loss surgery is covered by your specific policy.
To confirm whether your specific policiy covers bariatric surgery, click here to contact a surgeon and ask for a free insurance check.
Disclaimer: The information contained on this page may not include all components of your insurance company’s medical policy and/or may not be up to date. Contact your insurance company to confirm all benefits.
In order to be approved by LifeWise Insurance for bariatric surgery in the United States, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be age 18 or older
- Diagnosis of Morbid obesity, defined as
- a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 40
- BMI 35 – 39.9 AND one of the following
- Established Coronary Heart Disease, including:
- History of Heart Attack
- History of Angina Pectoris
- History of Coronary Artery Surgery
- History of Angioplasty
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Symptomatic carotid artery disease
- Medically refractory hypertension BP greater than 140/90 despite optimal medical management
- Type 2 Diabetes uncontrolled by pharmacotherapy
- Sleep apnea
- Participation in a Physician supervised weight reduction program that includes:
- A program of at least six consecutive months’ duration within the two year period prior to surgery being considered
- Evidence of active participation in a program documented in member’s medical record. Evidence of active participation includes:
- Clinical records that reflect monitoring and supervision of a physician directed weight loss program with exercise component such as MediFast, OptiFast
- Clinical records that reflect supervision and monitoring of a nutrition and exercise program such as Weight Watchers
- Psychological evaluation by a licensed mental health provider to establish emotional stability and the ability to comply with post-surgical limitations
Or
Use this BMI Calculator to check your body mass index…
Adolecents Requirements
Bariatric surgery in adolescents may be considered medically necessary according to the same weight-based criteria used for adults, but greater consideration should be given to psychosocial and informed consent issues.
Revision Requirements
Revision weight loss surgery may be considered medically necessary for perioperative or late complications from another bariatric procedure including, but not limited to:
- Band slippage that cannot be corrected with manipulation or adjustment
- Hypoglycemia or malnutrition related to non-absorption
- Obstruction
- Staple-line failure
- Stricture
- Weight loss of 20% or more below ideal body weight
Revision of a primary bariatric procedure that has failed due to dilation of the gastric pouch may be considered medically necessary if the initial procedure was successful in inducing weight loss prior to pouch dilation, and the patient has been compliant with a prescribed nutrition and exercise program.
Patients who undergo adjustable gastric banding and fail to achieve adequate weight loss must show evidence of postoperative compliance with diet and regular bariatric visits prior to consideration of a second bariatric procedure.
If Your Policy Does NOT Cover It: Seek Partial Coverage
You may be able to get part of the costs paid for by insurance even if weight loss surgery isn’t covered. It’s all about how your doctor and hospital submit your claims to your insurance company.
For example, there are many non-bariatric surgery reasons for your doctor to recommend:
- Cardiology exam
- Lab work
- Medically supervised diet program
- Psychological exam
- Sleep study
These are ordered for many reasons other than bariatric surgery and may be covered as a result. If your doctor submits one of these claims using a weight loss surgery CPT code (Current Procedural Terminology Code), your insurance is unlikely to cover it. But if your doctor uses a general CPT code, it probably will be covered.
While this may sound “sneaky”, it is an ethical practice. After all, these tests will be beneficial regardless of whether you move forward with surgery.
LifeWise Insurance Contact Information and Full Medical Policy on Bariatric Surgery
- Contact LifeWise:
- Full LifeWise Coverage Policies:
SECTION SUMMARY:
- Coverage Through Your Employer
- Individual & Family Plans
- Medicare
Before getting into the types of insurance plans, you can cut to the chase by contacting a local bariatric surgeon’s office. Most surgeons will contact your insurance company for free to confirm whether or not you’re covered.
Click here to find a local surgeon and ask them to check your insurance for you for free.
LifeWise Insurance does cover weight loss surgery, but your specific policy must include it in order for you get it covered.
Following are a list of LifeWise Insurance plan types and whether they cover bariatric surgery:
Weight Loss Surgery for Health Plans Through Your Work
If you work for a company that has 50 or more full time employees, it is completely up to your employer to decide whether or not to cover bariatric surgery under your health plan.
To find out whether weight loss surgery is covered by your employer’s plan, you have a few options:
- Your local surgeon will usually be willing check your insurance for free. Click here to find a surgeon near you, then call or email them to request a free insurance review.
- Ask your Human Resources department
- Contact your insurance company directly using the phone number on your insurance ID card
Weight Loss Surgery for Individual/Family Plans
The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) requires all individual and small group plans (less than 50 full time employees) to include weight loss surgery coverage as long as it is considered an “Essential Health Benefit” in your state.
The following states DO currently consider bariatric surgery an Essential Health Benefit (bariatric surgery is covered by all individual, family and small group plans in these states):
Your State Not on the List?
If your state is NOT on the list, then weight loss surgery is probably NOT covered under your plan.
First, contact your local surgeon to be sure. For no charge, their office will contact your insurance company on your behalf to work through the details.
If your surgeon confirms that your policy does not include obesity surgery, you still have several options for making surgery more affordable. See these pages for more information:
- Weight Loss Surgery Insurance Secrets: Revised List (good tips even if your policy does not include bariatric surgery)
- Financing bariatric surgery (all of your options)
- Arizona
- California
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Regardless of whether your state is on the list, contact a qualified surgeon to request a free insurance check to verify your coverage.
To review your insurance company’s obesity surgery coverage requirements, click here to jump back up the page.
Weight Loss Surgery for Medicare Plans
All Medicare plans are required to cover the following weight loss surgery procedures:
- Gastric sleeve surgery
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Gastric banding (lap band surgery) (LASGB)
- Duodenal switch surgery (DS)
- Biliopancreatic diversion surgery (BPD)
However, special Medicare-specific criteria apply. Click here to learn more about Medicare bariatric surgery coverage.
SECTION SUMMARY:
- Gastric Sleeve
- Gastric Bypass
- Lap-Band
- Duodenal Switch
Please see below for the procedures LifeWise Insurance covers, might cover under certain circumstances, and those that are not covered under any circumstances:
Procedures That ARE Covered
Procedures That MIGHT BE Covered
The following procedures MIGHT BE covered by LifeWise Insurance:
- Revision Surgery (either Lap-Band Revision or Gastric Bypass Revision)
Procedures That Are NOT Covered
The following procedures are NOT covered by LifeWise Insurance:
- Gastric Balloon
- AspireAssist
- Vertical Banded Gastroplasty
- Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery
- Biliopancreatic bypass without duodenal switch
- Single anastomosis duodenoileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy
- Two-stage bariatric surgery procedures (e.g., sleeve gastrectomy as initial procedure followed by biliopancreatic diversion at a later time)
- Long-limb gastric bypass procedure
SECTION SUMMARY:
- General Appeal Instructions
- Appeal Details Specific to LifeWise Insurance
If LifeWise Insurance denies your weight loss surgery claim and you think it should be covered, consider filing an appeal.
Our Health Insurance Appeals page will get you started, then head over to the Disputes & Appeals page for LifeWise of Washington and LifeWise of Oregon to learn how to proceed.
SECTION SUMMARY:
- Ask for a free insurance check or cost quote
- Attend a free seminar or webinar
- Schedule a phone or in-person consultation (both often free)
Search the weight loss surgeon directory below to ask a surgeon about a free insurance check by country and region:
