Is Stomach Surgery Covered in my Insurance

Weight loss stomach surgery to treat obesity is on the increase in the UK and thousands of procedures for gastric balloons, gastric bands and gastric bypass are carried each year by NHS and private surgeons. The rise in the number of patients looking to receive stomach surgery on the NHS has led to waiting lists stretching over several months in every area of the UK. The only other option for surgery is to look for a private organisation.

The upside to private hospital treatment is that patients are able to bypass the waiting lists that exist on the NHS and receive quicker treatment; the downside is that the treatment is likely to cost thousands of pounds. Although the cost of surgery will differ depending on the private organisation chosen, a rough guide to current prices for bariatric surgery is as follows:

• Intragastric balloon- £3000-£6000
• Gastric band- £5000-£9500
• Gastric bypass- £8000-£15000
• Duodenal switch £10000-£15000

These costs are a lot for people to pay which is why many ask “is stomach surgery covered in my insurance?”

Health insurance policies

The answer to “is stomach surgery covered in my insurance?” will depend on the kind of insurance policy that you hold. Bariatric surgery has a long and proven history of helping people to lose weight, this is something that puts it in favour with insurance companies and means that stomach surgery is included in most policies.

Health insurance policies can be extremely beneficial to many people and can be purchased for individuals and families to cover a whole range of health costs. Health insurance is not needed for treatment on the NHS but does give the change to receive free treatment in hundreds of private hospitals and clinics across the UK.

In some cases you may already have health insurance present that can cover your stomach surgery costs. Health insurance policies are commonly taken out by employers and organisations to cover the workforce should any hospital treatment be needed. You will need to check with your employer to see if stomach surgery is covered.

If the answer to “is health insurance covered in my insurance?” is yes then you can also benefit from other services and not just the operating procedure. Health insurance will also cover the consultation, hospital stay after the surgery and all aftercare appointments during the recovery period or for band adjustments.

Finding health insurance

If the answer to “is stomach surgery covered in my insurance?” is no then it may be worthwhile taking out an insurance policy. Health insurance can cost as little as £4 per week and save you thousands of pounds in the long run. Many of the top insurance brokers provide health insurance including:

• AXA
• Aviva
• BUPA
• PruHealth
• Simply Health
• Freedom

A good way to find the best available insurance policies is to use the internet. There are numerous websites that are able to provide insurance price comparisons and come up with the best policy to suit your requirements.