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What Does Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Require For Weight Loss Surgery

If you have Kaiser Permanente for your healthcare coverage, you’ll be delighted to know that the company does provide coverage for weight loss surgery – lap band, gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgeries. However, you’ll need to meet the following requirements for coverage to be approved.

Who Can Qualify For Bariatric Surgery With Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Coverage

Surgery is generally performed on people who are seriously obese and cannot drop the weight through conventional means. However, Kaiser Permanente will cover the weight loss surgery so long as the following conditions are met:

  • 40+ Body Mass Index or
  • 35+ or higher BMI with one of the following health conditions:
    • High cholesterol
    • Diabetes
    • Severe sleep apnea
    • Other health problems
  • 18 year of age or older
  • Finished a medically-supervised program for weight loss in the last two years
  • Have been significantly obese the last three of the five years, documented by a doctor
  • Have undergone a psychological exam and found no issues that make it harder for you to deal with the post-surgery lifestyle and diet

What Weight Loss Surgeries Are Covered and Not Covered?

Kaiser Permanente will cover the following surgeries:

  • Duodenal switch surgery
  • Gastric bypass
  • Gastric sleeve surgery
  • Lap gastric bands

Kaiser Permanente will not cover the following weight loss procedures:

  • Gastric plication with/without the gastric band
  • Mini-Gastric bypasses
  • Trans-oral stapling techniques

Does Kaiser Permanente Cover Gastric Band Fills?

Yes; so long as Kaiser covers the first surgery.