Choosing a Weight-Loss Program

Find out whether a medical or surgical weight-loss program at the Weight Management Center at Mount Auburn Hospital is right for you.

Candidacy for Medical Weight-Loss Program

You qualify for our medical weight-loss program if you are over 18 and:

• Aren’t pregnant
• Have a BMI of at least 30
• Will commit to long-term lifestyle and behavioral changes
• Will commit to regular follow-up visits with your doctor long-term

Candidacy for Weight-Loss Surgery

You may be a candidate for weight-loss surgery if you are over 18 and have:

• A BMI of 40, or a BMI of 35 and significant medical conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure
• Failed previous weight-loss efforts
• No untreated metabolic cause for obesity, such as thyroid or adrenal disorders
• No severe psychological or medical problems
• No dependency on drugs, alcohol or tobacco
• Willingness to commit to follow-up care for the rest of your life

Insurance Coverage

Ask your insurance provider how you can qualify for coverage of weight-loss surgery. You may need to send your provider information about your:

• Weight history
• Periods of supervised weight loss
• Consultations with specialists, such as gastroenterologists, cardiologists or pulmonologists

Possible Weight-Loss Surgery Complications

Most people who get weight-loss surgery don’t experience complications. Many of the risks are the same as those involved with any surgical procedure. Before you decide to have surgery, consider the potential complications, including:

• Difficulty swallowing
• Infection at the surgical site
• Injury to the stomach, esophagus or surrounding organs
• Intolerance of certain foods
• Leak in your digestive tract
• Nausea
• Pain

Additional Bariatric Surgery Resources:

The American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery provides a Patient Learning Center which includes many topics related to weight loss surgery.
www.asmbs.org/patients