What is a Gastric Bypass?
An operation called a gastric bypass is done to treat patients who are excessively obese. By lowering the stomach’s capacity, it restricts the amount of food that may be consumed at once to small amounts.
How much does it cost?
A gastric bypass patient is completely sedated for up to three hours, and specialized abilities are needed to carry out the procedure. In light of this, the associated medical expenses for the procedure alone can range from R100 000 to R150 000!
Is A Gastric bypass covered by surgery?
Up until recently, scheme participants getting a gastric bypass had to pay for it themselves. In South Africa, the practice was completely disallowed by medical aids since they classified it as elective surgery.
Which medical aid covers Gastric bypass?
Medical assistance programs that pay for gastric bypass
Recent medical aid programs like Discovery Health, Medshield, Momentum Health, and Bonitas have part or all of their plans include coverage for gastric bypass surgery, often known as bariatric surgery.
One of the driving forces is the increased risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, lower back pain, and asthma among obese persons. Using gastric bypass surgery to manage obesity, a plan could delay the onset of several potentially fatal illnesses.
How do I become eligible for weight-loss surgery in South Africa?
Surgery may be an option for patients between the ages of 18 and 65 who have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40 kg/m2.
Patients who have at least two significant co-morbid conditions and a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or more would be eligible.
Who gains from a gastric bypass procedure?
Who it is for In general, you may be a candidate for bariatric surgery if: Your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher (extreme obesity). You have an obesity-related serious health issue, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or severe sleep apnea, and your BMI is between 35 and 39.9 (obesity).
