Do I Qualify for Bariatric Surgery?

Opting for bariatric weight loss surgery is a life-changing decision. Successful bariatric surgery outcomes require the right counseling, expert hospital care, and conversations before, during, and after the procedure.

When the right path is followed, bariatric surgery can bring freedom — freedom from pain and fatigue; freedom from issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, gastric reflux, and other co-morbidities; and freedom to live how you want, not how you can manage.

Barix Clinics provides you with the safe, effective, and friendly path you need when you’re ready to make this choice. We care for our patients like they are family. Our nationally-recognized, award-winning program and talented, experienced surgeons make our bariatric surgery program the safest. We have  provided over 48,000 patients with the tools they need for a richer, fuller life. Will you be next?

How Do I Know if I Qualify for Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgery is generally best for individuals who are considered clinically morbidly obese. Morbid obesity is a condition in which a person is 100 pounds or more overweight or has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher.

However, if someone is suffering from illness, disease, or injuries related to their weight issues -- like hypertension, degenerative knee, disc, and joint problems, high cholesterol -- a BMI of 35 or higher could qualify for bariatric surgery.

So, the first answer you need when you ask “Do I qualify for bariatric surgery?” is identifying your BMI. While you and the team at Barix Clinics will ultimately make the decision, you can use our online calculator to get a clearer understanding of what your BMI is right now.

Does your initial research indicate that you qualify for bariatric surgery? Contact us now.

Ask Natisha R:

“The staff was exceptional. It helped that many of them were former patients themselves and had been through the process. I noticed a picture of a staff member on his desk which was him, obviously MUCH heavier. I asked him, 'How much have you lost?' His response was, 'Let me tell you what I have gained.' That comment has helped me to shape my journey and is something that I think about daily. He was right; the focus is initially on the weight that you lose. In the long term it is on what you gain back in your life as a result of the weight loss. What a great perspective."

Natisha’s story is just one of the thousands we’ve seen at Barix Clinics. Will your story be next? Talk to one of our Patient Service Representatives today.

Read more about the types of bariatric surgery:

Paying for Bariatric Surgery

Once you think you may qualify for bariatric surgery, it’s time to think about the cost of weight loss surgery. When you contact us, you’ll talk to one of our patient service representatives, and that person will set up a consultation between you and a Barix Clinics surgeon. Together, you and the bariatric surgeon will decode the right type of surgery for you — and that’s going to impact the financial picture.

Some things to keep in mind as you weigh the cost of bariatric surgery:

  • Weight loss surgery with an industry leader like Barix Clinics has become more efficient and effective over the years, resulting in shorter hospital stays and fewer complications - and therefore lower costs.
  • Bariatric surgery helps save you money in the long term by reducing or alleviating chronic diseases, cutting down prescription drug and medical costs, and eliminating the need for fad diets and expensive meal plans that obese individuals are often convinced to try.
  • Custom furniture, travel, clothing, and other costs related to an obese lifestyle disappear after successful bariatric surgery.

Read More: The Costs of Bariatric Surgery

Financing Bariatric Surgery

Insurance is the best option to finance your weight loss surgery. The Barix Clinics team will work with you to help determine if you are eligible for the bariatric procedure our surgeons have determined is right for you.

Is Your Bariatric Surgery Covered By Insurance? Check Now.

Barix Clinics also offers several financing options that may work for you if out-of-pocket payment is unrealistic: 

  • CareCredit: A healthcare credit card designed for health, beauty, and wellness needs.
  • Alphaeon Credit Card: A credit card that can be used for for health, beauty, and wellness needs, as well as other, non-surgical purchases.
  • Cash payments for specific services. Perhaps you want to pay for some bariatric surgery services out-of-pocket, but not all. We can help customize a program for you. 

Read More: Financing for Bariatric Surgery

Risks of Bariatric Surgery

Barix Clinics are leaders in patient care and safety. Our commitment to your well-being before, during, and after your bariatric surgery is unparalleled in the industry and we have built our reputation on this love and respect we have for our patients.

Weight loss procedures, like any surgical procedure, do carry risks. Complications that can potentially occur include:

  • Blood clots or pulmonary embolism
  • Respiratory complications
  • Infection
  • Heart failure 

Over 20 percent of bariatric surgery patients opt for bariatric reconstructive surgery. After years of obesity, removing that much weight from one’s frame may leave excess skin and stubborn pockets of fat that need to be addressed by this additional procedure.

Our surgeons will work extremely closely with you prior to your surgery to ensure you are well-prepared for a successful outcome. We’re going to put you in the safest situation possible and get you moving into a new and better life.

Read More: Your Safest Choice

CareChex Bariatric Surgery Patient Safety Award for 2021How safe are Barix Clinics? Consider that Barix Clinics’ Forest Health Medical Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan has earned the CareChex® Patient Safety Award as the number one bariatric surgery provider in the Midwest for five straight years.

What makes bariatric surgery safe at Barix Clinics? Several factors:

  • Our surgeons have dedicated their careers to weight loss surgery, focusing exclusively on helping the bariatric patient.
  • Barix Clinics has performed more bariatric surgeries than any other program in our 25 years of caring for seriously overweight patients.
  • Surgeons are equipped with advanced imaging equipment to ensure procedures are performed correctly.
  • Independent studies show Barix Clinics scores high in key areas such as patient-doctor communication, hospital cleanliness, and staff responsiveness during hospital stays.
  • Studies also show very low readmission and post-operative complication rates.

Ask Melissa D.:

“When you are in a hospital, you are geared more toward being a victim. Barix patients aren’t victims. We are here because we want to be and are highly motivated.”

Read More: Is Bariatric Surgery Safe?

Barix Clinics is your best choice for weight loss surgery.

Barix Clinics is a hospital-based program that specializes in the latest weight loss surgery techniques. Our network of hospitals draws upon more than 25 years of experience and dedication to weight loss surgery benefits. We provide the latest innovations in weight loss surgery to our patients.

Once you complete your bariatric surgery at Barix Clinics, you will be welcomed into an exclusive club -- a community of other patients who, like you, are moving toward a healthy life. Our bariatric surgery support groups focus on celebrating the exciting changes in our members’ lives while providing the compassion, empathy and insight that only your fellow patients can offer.

Read More: Bariatric Surgery Support Groups

The Barix Clinics program has developed the most comprehensive training program in the field for our outstanding bariatric surgeons. Every surgeon, regardless of his or her previous bariatric experience, must complete this rigorous program before receiving approval to perform procedures in our network.

When you add the benefits of bariatric surgery and the experienced patient support team at Barix Clinics to your long-term health and fitness plan, you open the door for much more than simple weight loss.

Choose Barix Clinics. We’re the bariatric surgery provider that truly cares about you and your future.

Ask Gary C:

"My life has done a complete turnaround to where I am now LOVING LIFE and LOVING ME! I have lost 217 lbs. from my highest weight of 391 lbs. Having the weight loss surgery was the best decision I could have made. Having it done at Barix Clinics was the next best decision I made."

Read More: Benefits of Bariatric Surgery

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Use our BMI calculator to see if you qualify for weight-loss surgery.