Las Vegas Lap Band and Gastric Bypass Surgeon – Dr. Umbach

Financing your weight loss surgery can be a very stressful process. In order to make the process easier, at Blossom Bariatrics we designate a financial consultant to each of our patients. Please read the paragraphs below to obtain answers to some commonly asked questions.

Will My Insurance Pay for My Surgery?

Many insurance companies will cover your weight loss surgery. However, it can be difficult and time consuming to obtain authorization. To streamline the process, we provide you with a financial consultant who is a trained insurance and authorization specialist. Insurance coverage varies from patient to patient and from employer to employer. This is why it's important to work with a specialist.

What Insurance Does Blossom Bariatrics Accept

We accept almost all private insurance policies. Please call us for details. Unfortunately, we do NOT accept Health Plan of Nevada HMO. Some insurance companies that do NOT cover bariatric procedures are Teacher's Health Trust, Culinary and BCBS of Arkansas (Walmart).

What Do I Have to Do if My Surgery Is Covered by My Insurance?

Each company's insurance coverage is different. Although the company may pay for the surgery, "criteria," or specific steps, must be followed by the patient before the company pays for it. Some of the general requirements include:

• BMI (body mass index) of 40 or higher
• Diet history (including dates and failed diets)
• Documented weight for at least two to five years
• Medical conditions related to obesity
• Psychiatric evaluation
• Surgical clearance (EKG & labs)
• Three to six months of observed medical weight loss by a bariatric surgeon

*Criteria for Nevada Medicaid and Amerigroup insurance companies are very strict and require three years of observed medical weight loss history, documented by a bariatric surgeon.

What About Cash Pricing and Payment Options?

We are committed to helping as many patients as possible. We currently offer one of the lowest prices in the state for the gastric sleeve and Lap Band procedures. Unfortunately, we do not offer in-house financing; instead we work with several medical financing institutions, including:

• http://www.chasehealthadvance.com  Our Provider number is 70750.
• http://www.carecredit.com
• http://www.enhancepatientfinance.com Our Provider number is 16170.
• http://www.cosmeticredit.com
• 

*NOTE: We do allow you to "split tender," meaning you are able to pay for the surgery using funds that you have obtained from more than one medical financing institution. To avoid fees, patients have the options to pay the full amount of the procedure at the time of the preoperative appointment in the form of cashier's check payable to Blossom Bariatrics.

Prices vary according to surgery performed. You will need to contact our office for the official pricing.

The Cost of Surgery Can Be Tax Deductible!!

It is true! The IRS does allow the deduction of weight loss programs, including surgery when medically necessary. Follow this link for more information: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/ar02.html (click on weight loss programs). Note that the cost of surgery must exceed 7.5% of your adjusted income. Other costs designated by the IRS, including weight loss surgery prep programs, health insurance premiums, postoperative visits, smoking cessation programs and other delineated costs, may help you meet this requirement. Please consult with your accountant for further details.