Those who are considering undergoing weight loss surgery can be understandably overwhelmed by all the details surrounding a potential procedure. There’s the physical part of the surgery – preparing for it, undergoing it, recovering from it, and adopting a whole new lifestyle following it – as well as the emotional part of shedding weight and tackling this new life that may seem quite foreign and challenging to navigate. But what many people initially forget, and soon remember as they begin planning for surgery, is there is a financial aspect to weight loss surgery as well.

The truth is that many insurance policies cover weight loss surgery if the patient and their doctor can show a true medical necessity. For most people that’s not a problem considering that they have likely been suffering with obesity-related diseases for some time. If obesity is not halted, the patient is in danger of serious medical complications and even death. With this information at hand, most insurance policies will cover at least part of weight loss surgery, if not most of the cost of the procedure.

But there are other options if insurance does not cover the weight loss surgery.

Oftentimes, weight loss surgery centers will offer financing options for weight loss surgery, allowing their patients to make payments on the surgery for the months leading up to and following the procedure itself. This can make what initially seems like a significant cost, much more manageable.

The most important thing to remember is that money should not stop you from taking the steps needed to getting healthy and potentially saving your own life. Work with your insurance company to determine what they are able to provide in terms of coverage, and work with your weight loss surgery clinic to determine what options they have for financing and even any “deals” they may have for patients paying out of pocket.