After considering the possibility of having bariatric surgery, you may now be wondering what to expect before weight loss surgery. There are a few components to this question that we will address. We will talk about insurance coverage, the initial consultation, and what it takes to reach your goals. This blog hopes to demystify the pre-operation procedure and break down what you can expect from your first consultation with a bariatric professional.

What to Expect Before Weight Loss Surgery: Insurance

When you make your initial appointment, it’s essential to understand that the clinical staff will verify your insurance to ensure that your plan can cover your procedure. It will take 72 hours for this process to clear, then the bariatric team you are working with will contact you about your eligibility. 

If you have the benefits, we will schedule your first consultation. If not, do not lose hope. There are still opportunities for you to receive bariatric treatment! Though the process might be longer and more costly to you, you still have some options. Read more about self-pay options and BARInet, which helps employees ask their employers for coverage.

What to Expect Before Weight Loss Surgery: Consultation

Moving forward with the consultation, you will have to fill out some paperwork to bring with you to the visit. The visit will take about two hours in total. 

You will initially spend some time with the program manager to go over the program requirements, not only those of your insurance company but also the bariatric doctor’s program. Each doctor has their own specialized program that fits the needs of the patients. Then, you will spend more time with the doctor to learn about the procedures they offer. 

After reviewing your medical history, you and the doctor will decide on the best weight loss surgery procedure for you. 

What to Expect Before Weight Loss Surgery: Compliance

At that meeting, you will also discuss all the requirements during the weight loss surgery process, such as:

  • Meeting with the nutritionist,
  • Meeting with the physical therapist,
  • Having a psychological evaluation,
  • Getting all the necessary medical clearances that you will need, and
  • Going over what we call our daily food and exercise journals. 

Pre-surgical requirements are a necessary step in the process of surgery for all bariatric programs to ensure that the process will be most beneficial for you. Also, we must be sure that your insurance will pay for all things regarding the procedure.

These steps will also provide vital information for your bariatric doctor to keep you compliant with all the things you will need and to adjust you to your needs, not only pre-surgery but also post-operation.

Most importantly, what is crucial to remember is that your bariatric clinicians and doctors are here to help you in your journey. Your success in this journey is what we want to ensure! So know that your bariatric clinicians will always be available to answer your questions. 

Conclusion

At SAMA Bariatrics, we love to interact with our patients, keep them on track, and help them with any questions they might have. And this is the promise of many bariatric clinics around the country. What to expect before weight loss surgery can sometimes be overwhelming, but we want to ensure that you have all of the information you need to live a healthy life.

You have a lot of work to do, but we are here to support you and help you be successful in your journey to lose weight. If you have any further questions about what to expect before weight loss surgery, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office and make an appointment.