One of the most frequently asked questions relating to bariatric surgery is whether someone qualifies for the procedure at a certain weight. “Can I get bariatric surgery at 190 pounds?” is something many people search online or ask our center directly. The short answer is yes, especially if your height is lower than 5’2″. But the longer answer is worth the read to understand exactly what qualifies someone for metabolic surgery in terms of body weight.
Qualifying for Bariatric Surgery
The most recent guidelines from the largest national and international societies recommend approval for bariatric surgery for anyone with a body mass index of 35 or greater. This is right around 5 foot 2 inches and 190 pounds or so. The guidelines also recommend approval when a person’s body max index and weight are even lower, BMI of 30, when there are health conditions like type two diabetes, high blood pressure or obstructive sleep apnea. In that case, the same 5’2″ person at 170 pounds also qualifies.
Studies demonstrate we live longer and healthier lives freer of disease and disability after bariatric surgery, especially for those whose body mass index creeps up higher and higher. What has happened over the decades is that the surgery has become safer and safer, largely by the move toward sleeve gastrectomy, a 30- or 45-minute procedure done with four or five small Band-Aids, a minimally invasive procedure. US hospital data show that it is safer than almost every routine type of surgery you could name including cesarean section, gallbladder, and things like that. On the other side of the equation, the health benefits are striking and profound. People live longer, experience less development of adverse health conditions like diabetes, heart, liver, and kidney disorders, and have a higher quality of life with greater physical activity.
What About Insurance?
Now, you might be wondering if these new guidelines have been widely adopted by health plans, and the answer is not really. Having some medical societies recommend a procedure is different from your health insurance plan paying for it. So, as we have seen with lots of other changes in expert guidelines from expert health societies like the American Heart Association, it takes years for the health insurance companies to grudgingly agree to pay for the treatments that are proven to help people. Right now, nearly all the public and private health insurance plans do pay for bariatric surgery across the country when people meet the old guidelines, starting at a BMI of 35. We are slowly seeing pockets health insurance coverage for the new guidelines across various geographies and different companies but it’s a slow process.
If you are BMI is over 30, it’s a good idea to check with your health plan to determine if they have changed their coverage to embrace the new guidelines. Undergoing a sleeve gastrectomy likely would make more of a health difference than you might have realized.
Ready to learn more about whether you might be a candidate for bariatric surgery? Contact the Nevada Surgical team today.
