Our Frequently Asked Questions section
references accepted standard of practice and guidelines
from regulatory and professional organizations including
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), American College
of Surgery (ACS), American Society for Metabolic and
Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) As always, please check with
your healthcare provider to determine their individual
practices, guidelines and what they recommend for you.
The National Institutes of Health set
minimum requirements for recommending bariatric surgery
as a treatment option:
100 pounds or more above ideal
body weight or a BMI of 40 or greater
BMI of 35 or greater with one or
more obesity-related health conditions
Insurance companies also set requirements
or criteria specific to individuals' insurance plan.
Some of these criteria include:
History of documented dietary
weight loss attempts for 3 or 6 consecutive months
within a recent 2 year period
Documented history of morbid obesity
for at least 5 years
If you are mentally and emotionally
prepared to make lifelong lifestyle changes
Together, you and your bariatric surgeon take steps to
determine:
If surgery is the right treatment
for you
Which type of procedure is right
for you
That you have, or will have, the
necessary support system around you
Expect the prequalification
process to include a series of tests and evaluations.
(See next section on preparing for surgery). After your
visit with the surgeon, you will begin the Pre-Surgical
Wellness Program with Dr.
Tapscott.
