When you meet certain conditions related to morbid obesity, Medicare covers certain bariatric surgical procedures, such as gastric bypass surgery and laparoscopic banding surgery. The cost of transportation to a bariatric surgery center is not covered by Medicare.
Your costs in Original Medicare
In the case of surgeries or procedures, it’s difficult to predict upfront how much they will cost. You won’t know what services you need until you meet with your provider. You may be able to estimate your costs if you need weight loss surgery.
Some options to determine your cost include:
* Ask the doctor, hospital, or facility how much you’ll have to pay for the surgery and any care afterward.
* Outpatients may choose between an ambulatory surgical center or a hospital outpatient department.
* You may receive a different pay based on whether you are an inpatient or an outpatient.
* Check with any other insurance you may have to see what it will pay. If you belong to a Medicare health plan, contact your plan for more information.
Other insurance might include:
– Coverage from your or your spouse’s employer
– Medicaid
– Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy