Will my insurance cover the procedure?

Insurance coverage depends on your individual insurance plan. For example, some insurance companies require a patient to be in a physician-supervised weight-loss program for at least a year before surgery or meet other specific requirements. Feel free to contact Dr. Katz regarding any questions related to your individual insurance coverage.

If I am interested in weight-loss surgery, what should I do?

Please call 1-866-823-4458 to schedule an initial consultation. Our personal navigators will help you learn more about our program and our weight-loss surgery options.  

How do I know if I am eligible for weight-loss surgery?

Dr. Katz follows guidelines supported by the National Institute of Health in order to determine a patient's eligibility for weight- loss surgery. You may be a candidate for surgery if:

Your BMI is between 35 and 40 with major obesity-related medical problems, such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, or if your BMI is greater than 40.

For a full breakdown of eligibility guidelines, visit our "Am I Eligible For Weight Loss Surgery?" page.

How experienced is Dr. Katz?

Dr. Katz has performed more than 2,000 minimally-invasive bariatric operations, in addition to over 300 revisional weight-loss surgeries and managed complex complications associated with several types of bariatric operations.

Dr. Katz also specializes in minimally invasive techniques for these procedures.  

How long will I have to stay in the hospital?

If you have a minimally-invasive weight loss surgery, you can expect to have a 1-2 night hospital stay. You may be able to return to most of your usual activities in seven to 10 days.

Why should I consider bariatric surgery?

Obese individuals are at a far greater risk of dying from obesity-related diseases, including coronary artery disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), individuals who are obese have a 10 percent to 50 percent increased risk of death from all causes. A healthy weight for most people is defined as a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9.  

How much weight can I expect to lose?

Most gastric bypass patients experience fairly rapid weight loss for three to six months after surgery. Weight loss slows but generally continues for 12 to 18 months after surgery. Patients lose an average of 65 percent to 75 percent of their excess body weight within the first year.

With gastric banding, weight loss is generally slower and more gradual, with patients losing about 40 percent to 50 percent of excess body weight. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients lose about 60 percent to 65 percent of excess body weight within the first year. Weight loss may continue for up to two years.  

What is severe obesity?

Severe obesity, sometimes called "morbid obesity," is defined as being more than 100 pounds overweight or twice your ideal body weight.

More than 35 percent of U.S. adults are obese. Of these, 6.3 percent — or about 15 million adults — are severely obese, according to the National Institutes of Health. Severe obesity is a well-established risk factor for development of coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, gallbladder disease, hypertension and certain cancers. The risk of developing these additional medical problems is proportional to the degree of obesity.

Numerous medical approaches to this problem have been advocated, including low-calorie diets, drugs, behavioral modification and exercise therapy. Unfortunately, many patients are unable to maintain a reduced body weight. Surgical intervention is a treatment proven to be effective in the long-term management of morbid obesity.