Huge Crowds

[Apple203 1,314]

Since August, my group classes have been packed -- standing room only. Like 50-60 people in every class, and 6 topical classes a month. The surgeon's office has added 2 new fax machines -- seriously, this is what they told me -- to handle the paperwork flying around. (Outside of health care, who uses Fax machines, LOL???). Is it possible that the availability of insurance and procedures has reached some sort of tipping point in acceptability, or is it just my surgeon's practice? Is it possible that insurance companies will start pulling back? As a disclaimer, I live in Maryland and we have weird insurance payment plans -- All-payer rate setting is a price setting mechanism in which all third parties pay the same price for services at a given hospital.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Apple203

[Introversion 1,876]

I think insurance companies are beginning to realize it's financially smarter to pay for bariatric surgery now rather than pay for the plethora of obesity-related diseases later.

What's cheaper? $25,000 for bariatric surgery in 2018? Or $40,000 a year for dialysis until the patient dies? By the way, the hypothetical patient needed dialysis due to diabetes that could have been resolved with weight loss.

What's cheaper? $25,000 for bariatric surgery? Or $49,500 for bilateral knee replacement surgery? By the way, the hypothetical patient needed a knee replacement due to osteoarthritis that could have been resolved with weight loss.

What's cheaper? $25,000 for bariatric surgery? Or $117,100 for quadruple bypass heart surgery? By the way, the hypothetical patient needed open heart surgery due to coronary artery disease that could have been helped by weight loss.

If the insurance companies don't pay for weight loss surgery now, they'll certainly pay for the multitude of health issues caused by obesity in a decade or two.

[FluffyChix 17,418]

@Introversion Terrifying logic. But oh so true!

I sure hope the insurance companies are beginning to embrace this metabolic intervention! The studies coming out these days truly support these surgeries!!