Sherman Lap Band

 

Getting Started

Phone:  903.868.0133 opt. 2
 

To find out if your insurance covers Bariatric Surgery, make sure that surgery and the treatment for obesity and weight loss are covered benefits.  Most importantly that they are not an exclusion to your specific policy. Criteria for coverage vary from insurance company to insurance company. You may need to provide them with the following codes to determine if they are a covered benefit.

- Primary diagnosis is Morbid Obesity 278.01
- The CPT (procedure) code for the Lap Band© is 43770 (New Code)

If your insurance states that obesity surgery is excluded in your policy, they will not cover anything.  We would like to help you with financing options.

If they say they will cover it, you will need to gather the information listed below to send to us for the approval process with your insurance company.

1.  The patient information profile completely filled out.
2.  Any letters or medical records from other health care providers referring to weight related medical issues.
3.  A recommendation for weight loss surgery from your primary care physician
4.  Any documentation proving you participated in any diet / weight loss attempts. (This includes office notes, receipts or prescriptions) Most insurance companies require proof that you have tried for 5 years.
5.  A copy of your insurance card.  Back and Front please.
6.  A copy of your Driver's License
7.  If your insurance plan requires a referral for this consultation, please contact your primary care physician to have one faxed to this office before the appointment.

Please be aware the insurance company has 90 days to make a decision.  Once your paperwork is submitted we have no control on how fast they deliver their decision.  In many cases you will be notified before we are by your insurance company.  We can only use approvals that are in writing.

Once we have an approval from your insurance company or you have chosen a method of payment for the procedure, you will need to make your appointment for your Pre-Op appointment.

Please call our main office number for that appointment.

903.868.0133 opt. 2


You may be required by your insurance to provide a co-pay.
The co-pay must be paid before your appointment.

ADDITIONAL EXPENSES: Like any other Outpatient Elective surgery, you may have co-pay, deductible, or out-of-pocket expenses that you will be required to pay. 

Thank you for your interest in our Bariatric Program.  For the health and safety of our patients we follow the National Institute of Health guidelines. The National Institute of Health guidlines for Bariatric Surgery require a Psychological Evaluation
and a Nutrition Assessment.

A Psychologist's or Psychiatrist evaluation.

Most Insurance will pay for this evaluation. The psychiatrist’s office will provide you with the necessary codes to get a referral from your primary care physician if needed for those appointments.  This appointment can be scheduled through our office.


Vicky Borck DO
315 North Travis Street
Sherman, Texas  75090
(903) 893-1733


Diatetic Assessment.

Most diabetic assessments are done by a Wilson N. Jones dietitian scheduled through our office.  Insurance may or may not cover the visit.