Can Medi Cal Cover Weight Loss Surgery?

If you are thinking of having weight loss surgery, you may have already asked the question, "Does Medi Cal cover it?" This is because Medi Cal has set a standard for medically qualified patients to be able to receive their dental care in order to achieve their weight loss goals. In fact, many insurance companies offer this coverage to their policy holders as a benefit to being insured. If your insurance company does not offer Medi Cal, there are several ways that you can obtain the coverage you need.

One way to get Medi Cal coverage if you have been diagnosed with obesity is to ask your physician if your weight loss surgery will be covered. Some elect to have Gastric Bypass or Lap-Band surgery in order to reduce their weight. If your surgery is deemed unnecessary, the costs related to the procedure will be paid for by your insurance. Your insurance may also cover the cost of a weight loss nutrition consultant who will help you with meal preparation and assistance with portion control. Although it may seem expensive to you, your premium after surgery will likely be less than what you would pay if you continued to eat the same foods you had before the surgery. Plus, your medications and prescriptions will be covered as well as the cost of any other therapies your doctor recommends to you as part of your weight loss surgery diet.

If your insurance company does offer Medi Cal, you should review the policy and be sure that it includes a weight loss surgery benefit. Often, Medi Cal only covers the cost of a surgical procedure and does not cover any other therapies. The cost of surgery will vary based on the weight you lose, so it is important to read over the details of your Medi Cal plan to be sure that it will cover the amount and type of weight loss surgery you desire. If your goal is to lose 100 pounds, you will likely need to get the surgery and follow the physician's diet and exercise guidelines. However, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds, you will probably be able to get both of these types of surgery with Medical coverage.

When you are researching Medi Cal policies, you may be surprised to learn that there are many that do not cover the cost of weight loss surgery. Because there have been changes in how medical procedures are preformed, some clinics will only accept patients with a BMI of at least 40. This means that even though you are in perfect health, you can be turned down because your BMI makes you a high risk. For you to be accepted and given a card, your doctor must clearly state that you are healthy and able to be a weight loss surgery candidate. It is important to not get upset or frustrated and try to see it this way. You are far more likely to be successful if you remain calm and address the rejection carefully.

Before you get too upset, know that Medi Cal programs have been helping people reach their health goals for years. In fact, it is hard to find a Medical policy that does not include a weight loss surgery coverage clause. Therefore, you can probably expect to be able to get the surgery that you want provided that your doctor explains your weight to them. The only time when you are unable to get the surgery that you want is if your doctor tells you that you would not be a good candidate due to your health status. This is why it is important for you to clearly discuss any issues with your physician.

Another reason that you may not be able to get coverage through Medi Cal is because your weight is an unhealthy condition. Unfortunately, when the weight becomes an issue, insurers often consider it to be an unhealthy condition. While this can be frustrating, it is important to remember that this is intended to help you pay for the cost of weight loss surgery. If you have a medical condition that makes you a high risk to have a surgery, you will likely not qualify for Medi Cal, regardless of your BMI.

You may also wonder if Medi Cal covers your other related medical care, such as prescriptions and gym memberships. Yes, Medi Cal does offer coverage for certain other things, such as prescription drugs and visits to the doctor, but the policy will usually not cover weight loss. If you are interested in losing weight, you will need to talk with your primary care doctor first. They can provide you with a complete list of things that you need covered under their plan. Before you choose Medi Cal, you should also discuss with your doctor what your ideal weight is, so you can better understand the impact of losing weight on Medi Cal.

As you can see, there are many different reasons why a Medical policy may not cover your weight loss surgeries. However, these problems are usually common among new policies that were recently released. Therefore, if you do qualify for Medi Cal coverage, you should definitely try to look over all of your options to make sure that you get the best possible coverage.