Eligibility & Insurance

Am I qualified for weight loss surgery?
To qualify for surgery, a person must be at least 100 pounds overweight and have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater, or have a BMI of 35 or greater with two or more actively treated diseases related to obesity, such as diabetes, hypertension or arthritis.

Body Mass Index is calculated as follows:

Weight/Height²
To calculate your body mass index, visit the CDC – Body Mass Index [1].

Qualifying for surgery is a thorough process, with patients receiving a number of health assessments. Attendance at education classes is mandatory.

Will my insurance company pay for weight loss surgery?
When considering weight loss surgery, it is extremely important that you first check with your insurance company regarding eligibility and to determine if there are any exclusions in your policy. It is a good idea to have your Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated before making the call. If your insurance company will not pay for weight loss surgery, pre-pay options are available.

CHI St. Alexius Health has been designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery® [2] by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Designation as Blue Distinction Centers means this facility’s overall experience and aggregate data met objective criteria established in collaboration with expert clinicians’ and leading professional organizations’ recommendations. Individual outcomes may vary. To find out which services are covered under your policy at any facilities, please call your local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.

MBSAQIP
The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program [3] has designated CHI St. Alexius Health as a Comprehensive Bariatric Surgery Center. Dr. Brandon Helbling and Dr. Matthew Hefty of Mid Dakota Clinic perform surgical weight loss procedures at this MBSAQIP-accredited center. Prior to the MBSAQIP designation, the PrimeCare Surgical Weight Loss Program was named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery. Earning these designations signify CHI St. Alexius Health’s ability to consistently meet high standards of safe care for bariatric surgery patients.

Your initial consultation is free. For more information, contact the Bariatric Clinical Coordinator at
530-6330, toll-free 800-472-2113 ext. 6330 or send us an e-mail [4]. We’re here to help.

Considering bariatric surgery? Catch a glimpse of our Information Session [5]. Had bariatric surgery?
Attend our support group session. [6]