Bariatric surgery in New Mexico
Lovelace Westside Hospital is the only hospital in Albuquerque designated as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Bariatric Surgery. Our specialists are wholly committed to serving you as you begin your weight loss journey. With an experienced team of bariatric specialists and surgeons, we are ready to provide a variety of bariatric treatment options, including gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and bariatric surgery revisions. The benefits of weight loss surgery go beyond the scale, and our award-winning weight loss surgery clinic is committed to helping you live a healthier life. Visit Lovelace today to start your journey towards a healthier life.
Our weight loss treatment options
Many people find it difficult to lose weight on their own. However, surgical treatments can help patients lose weight and keep it off when diet, exercise and medication aren’t working. Weight loss surgery can improve many aspects of your health, including weight-related medical issues like diabetes, heart disease, and sleep apnea.
Bariatric surgery is a safe and effective option that can help patients control their appetite, lose weight, and maintain a healthy weight. Our bariatric surgeons provide the following surgical treatments:
- Revision surgeries: Your body changes over time, which can have an impact on the changes made by weight loss surgery. Bariatric revision surgery can correct those changes or improve a previous procedure.
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: This is the most common weight loss procedure. The surgeon creates a small pouch from the stomach and connects it directly to the small intestine, bypassing a segment of the stomach. This helps lower the amount of food you can eat in one sitting and decreases food absorption.
- Sleeve gastrectomy: This procedure removes about 80% of the stomach, leaving a long, tube-like pouch. This smaller stomach can’t hold as much food, leading to a decrease in how much food you can eat.
All of these procedures are formed using minimally invasive, laparoscopic techniques delivered by fellowship-trained and board-certified surgeons. Weight loss surgery is a big decision that can change your life for the better. That’s why we are excited that you want to learn more about the first steps to a new you. Our experienced medical staff and community is here to answer your questions and guide you every step of the way.
Am I a candidate for weight loss surgery?
Bariatric surgery may be an option for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. If you have other serious health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, bariatric surgery may be beneficial if your BMI is between 35 and 40. If your BMI is below 35, you will not qualify for surgery.
Will insurance pay for my procedure?
If you are considering bariatric surgery, call your insurance company to verify bariatric benefits for the treatment of morbid obesity.
Information you will need from your insurance:
1. Does your plan cover bariatric services and surgery, or is it an exclusion or only covered if life-threatening (meaning they do not cover bariatric surgery)?
Here are the specific codes your insurance company may request:
- ICD code of obesity E66.01
- CPT code for sleeve 43775
- CPT code for bypass 43644
2. If your plan covers bariatric services and surgery, you will need to know what pre-surgical requirements are necessary to qualify for surgery.
For example, some insurances require six consecutive months of medical weight management and psychological evaluation.
3. What is your portion of the cost?
Confirm how much your insurance will cover for the procedure.
Award-winning weight loss services
Lovelace Westside Hospital is the only hospital in Albuquerque designated as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Bariatric Surgery. This designation is given to hospitals that provide a full range of bariatric surgery care. This includes surgical care, post-operative services, outpatient follow-up care and patient education.
We have also been named a Fully Accredited Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accredited Quality Improvement Program by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, as well as the American College of Surgeons. This accreditation recognizes that our surgical program has demonstrated a track record of favorable outcomes and low complication rates. We meet the highest possible standards in the industry and continue to improve the quality and safety of care provided.
In addition to having fewer complication rates, our weight loss clinic also has fewer readmissions. This means surgeries are successful the first time around with no readmissions necessary. Our bariatric center provides affordable care, high-quality services, weight loss expertise, leading to better overall patient results. We look forward to helping you achieve your weight loss goals!
Additional support
In addition to bariatric procedures, our bariatric program offers a variety of services, including nutritional counseling, weekly education groups for those enrolled in the bariatric program and a monthly evening support group open to everyone, fills/adjustments, and follow-up visits.