Deciding to have weight loss surgery is a major life-changing decision. Before applying for surgery at OSU Medical Center, it’s important that you are well informed and understand your options. For information about weight management, specifically obesity including non-surgical and surgical weight loss options, see our information about obesity.
Not everyone is a candidate for surgery. To determine whether weight loss surgery is appropriate for you, you must apply for surgery. Follow the steps listed below.
Steps to Surgery
The OSU Bariatric Surgery Program is committed to providing you with education and a foundation necessary for long-term success after weight loss surgery. To apply for surgery, follow these steps:
1. Carefully review all the information about obesity and OSU Medical Center’s Bariatric Surgery Program.
2. Apply for weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery, gastric bypass, gastric exclusion, gastric banding). Be sure to read all instructions before filling out the application. To prevent delay, make sure you complete all forms. Incomplete insurance information or diet history will cause a delay in processing your application. In some cases, your application could be returned to you for completion.
To apply for surgery, download and print the application. Note: The application is in pdf format and requires Adobe® Reader® for viewing. If you do not have Adobe® Reader®, you can download a free copy of the software by clicking the link above.
Complete the application and fax it to (614) 293-9990 or mail it to:
OSU Bariatric Surgery Program
Division of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery
N-703 Doan Hall
410 W. 10th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210-1228
3. Check insurance. Before submitting your application, be sure to call your health insurance company to determine if your plan has an exclusion for bariatric surgery, and whether it is a “covered benefit.” If your insurance does not cover surgery, we offer a self-pay option. For more information, see our Payment Options.
To verify that weight loss surgery is covered by your insurance, please review your health insurance plan book, consult a human resources representative at your workplace, or request a letter from your insurance company.
Please also ask if your plan requires a referral to our program or “pre-certification” of the initial appointments, including your appointment with the surgeon. If pre-certification or a referral is needed, you will need to make arrangements through your primary care physician’s office. Our office will arrange for approval and pre-certification of the surgical procedure and hospital stay.
4. Group consultation and evaluation appointments. If you are selected as a candidate for weight loss surgery, you will be scheduled for a group consultation appointment where you will meet one of our bariatric surgeons and be able to get more information and ask any questions. You are encouraged to bring a family member or support person to this appointment.
There are three parts to the surgery evaluation: the nutrition, psychological and medical evaluations. The nutrition and psychological evaluations will take place at OSU Medical Center.
- Nutrition Evaluation – A dietitian will review the usual diet after surgery, obtain information about your past successes and failures with attempted weight loss, and your current eating habits.
- Psychological Evaluation – A psychologist will administer tests that indicate your style of coping with life events or stressors. The psychologist will review your current and past life experiences and how your weight has affected your choices in life. Please note: There may be an out-of-pocket expense for this evaluation. If you have any questions about this fee, please call (614) 293-9463.
- Medical Evaluation – You must set up an appointment with your primary care physician to obtain a medical history, physical exam, and lab tests to screen you for general health status and any “co-morbid conditions” such as diabetes or high blood pressure that are worsened by clinically severe obesity. These conditions are indications to have the surgery. Please note: You are responsible for having your primary care physician send us the results of this evaluation and ensuring our office has received this information.
5. Review committee – Once you’ve completed the nutrition, psychological and medical evaluations and we have received the results from your medical evaluation along with any other required information, a committee will review your case to determine your readiness for surgery. The review committee is composed of the medical director, dietitians, program nurses and other health professionals. When the committee reaches a decision about your readiness for surgery, you will be notified by phone and mail. The committee may recommend behavioral counseling to help you develop new strategies for coping with daily stressors. If the review committee feels you are not ready for surgery, it will recommend therapies to help you prepare. The goal is to help you be successful in your weight loss efforts and to give you all the tools you need to maintain your weight loss.
6. Nutrition Counseling – If the review committee has determined that you are ready for surgery, you will begin learning about the nutrition needs after surgery in a series of classes. You will learn how to change your eating habits to work with the surgery. Remember, this surgery will not force you to change your eating habits, it will require effort on your part. These classes will also teach you how to avoid nutrition deficiencies down the road. We expect you to continue consultation with a dietitian for life. We recommend fairly frequent visits to the dietitian for the first year as you adjust to your altered nutrition capacity. After the first year, annual check-ups are recommended.
7. Insurance approval/Pre-determination of medical necessity – While you are going through dietary counseling, our office will contact your insurance provider for “pre-determination” of your weight loss surgery. For many, pre-determination is the most difficult step. But if you have followed instructions and have forwarded all requested information to our office, this step should go smoothly. We will inform you early on about the information your insurance company requires. Since every insurance company has different requirements for approving medically necessary treatment, we will keep you informed about any additional information that is needed.
8. Meeting the surgeon – In most cases, you will meet with the surgeon prior to or when nutrition counseling has been completed. The most common cause of delay in this process is waiting for your insurance company to approve surgery. You will be scheduled to meet the surgeon once we have received a letter from your insurance company stating that your weight loss surgery is “medically necessary” and “approved.”
During this meeting/appointment, the surgeon and staff will review with you the risks and benefits of the proposed surgery. We encourage you to bring along a family member or other support person to help you remember and write down all the information you will receive. At this time, you will also be given your surgery date and if necessary, additional tests will be ordered.
9. Surgery date scheduled – When your surgery date has been scheduled, please call and notify our office of this date since we need to pre-certify your surgery. Failure to notify our office of this date could delay or cancel your surgery.
10. Day of surgery – In most cases, you will be asked to arrive at the hospital the morning of your surgery. The PCRM or nurse case manager and the Ambulatory Surgery Unit will give you instructions.
We hope this information is helpful and that the application process goes smoothly. After surgery, you will receive a discharge packet, which will explain the follow-up care required. Please remember that obesity is a chronic medical condition that needs to be treated for life. After surgery, we urge you to attend monthly support groups. These support groups offer valuable information and strategies for a lifetime of success.
