Medicare Unlikely to Expand Weight-Loss Surgery for Older Patients Medicare Resource Center

Medicare Unlikely to Expand Coverage of Weight-Loss Surgery

An advisory panel remains unsure about its effectiveness for older patients

Getty Images Coverage is limited to patients with a body mass index of 35 or greater and at least one risk factor. A committee this week decided it was unsure about the effectiveness of surgeries for most older patients, making it unlikely that Medicare will expand coverage of this form of treatment. The Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) cited evidence that gastric bypass and similar surgeries can help some , but the committee could not determine whether they would work well for a 65-and-older population. AARP Membership: Coverage is limited to patients with a of 35 or greater and at least one risk factor, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, according to a report in Modern Healthcare. Patients must also first try a doctor-approved weight-loss program. Some weight-loss providers hope to expand coverage for those with a BMI as low as 30. The issue is important because obesity affects more than one-third of “and can be a serious medical condition causing numerous complications, many of which are highly prevalent in the Medicare population,” the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services noted on its website. The panel does not set policy but has had a strong influence on Medicare leaders who do. Medicare sends doctors an average of $1,500 for covered weight-loss surgeries, and hospitals are reimbursed for $10,000 to $17,000, Modern Healthcare reported.

Also of Interest

TELL US: Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.