Medicare Considering Expanding Bariatric Surgery Reimbursement
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun a national coverage analysis of bariatric surgery (gastric bypass) as a treatment for type 2 diabetes to determine whether clinical outcomes justify expanding Medicare reimbursement to patients due to recent findings suggesting that the procedures may help reverse the course of the disease. Currently, CMS covers bariatric surgery for certain patients, mainly those classified as morbidly obese.
There have been dozens of studies indicating that bariatric surgery may be an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes among patients with lower body mass indices. There are groups such as the American Diabetes Association and other academic institutions that have urged caution in attributing a benefit to such a procedure without convincing scientific data. CMS expects to have a final decision on expanding coverage by February 17, 2009.