Insurance and Financing

Western Bariatric Institute works with most insurance plans. We strive to maintain good relationships with insurance companies and to continue to improve coverage for weight loss surgery for our community.

The best way to determine if we are providers on your plan is to call your insurance and ask. Most insurance plans have coverage for weight loss surgery, but there are still some that don’t or your employer may have excluded it from your plan. In all cases, medical necessity must be proven and you must meet the basic criteria for surgery.

We have a dedicated Patient Advocate team who will help you through the insurance approval process and an insurance authorization counselor who can work directly with your insurance to get you approved.

If your insurance plan does not cover bariatric surgery or if you have a large out of pocket cost, we can also work with you to find affordable financing. Below are some financing options that we currently recommend:

Financing Options:

Locally owned and operated, Clearstar Financial Credit Union is committed to partnering with Western Bariatric Institute and our patients to find financing that is both convenient and cost-effective. As a patient, you must be personally referred by Western Bariatric Institute to this program. Your Patient Advocate can assist you with this process and can answer any questions you may have.

The REALIZE company has teamed up with National City, one of the nation’s largest financial holding companies to help you get approved for a personal loan for your weight loss surgery. Loan applications can be completed at any time prior to surgery and a personal loan processor will personally guide you through the application process. To learn more please call 1-866-REALIZE or go to their website at www.realizeband.com and click on REALIZE Financing Program.

Self-pay Patients Information & Criteria:

You may meet the criteria for weight loss surgery at Western Bariatric Institute even if you are just 40 or 50 pounds overweight. While insurance companies are not recognizing this group of patients, our surgeons want to see you in consultation. We would consider you a self-pay patient and if you and surgeon decide to move forward with a surgical approach to your weight loss goals, then we can help you get financing and complete the educational process.

Additionally, all of the surgeons at Western Bariatric Institute are also BLIS certified which means that we meet very high standards for the outcomes of our program and our patients success. Because of this outstanding performance, we are able to partner with BLIS and are able offer all our self-pay patients a complication protection benefit. This benefit protects patients from the possible financial burden of specific pre-selected complications for a defined time period following surgery. We are happy to provide this benefit to our patients and ease your mind and your wallet. Please contact our office for further information about this program.