Follow these guidelines for revisions to bariatric surgeries

We’d like to remind providers about the bariatric surgery revision requirements and guidelines as published in the BCBSM medical policy titled “Bariatric Surgery.”

In cases where a revision of a bariatric procedure is planned, the following must be document in the patient’s medical record:

• Date and type of previous procedure
• The factor(s) that precipitated the resulting failure
• Complications resulting from the previous procedure
• If the reason for the revision is a failure of the patient to lose a desired amount of weight, then the patient must meet all of the initial preoperative criteria. Previous procedures that failed for anatomic or technical reasons (e.g., obstruction, staple dehiscence, etc.) are considered medically appropriate for revision without consideration of the initial preoperative criteria.

The BCBSM bariatric surgery policy document is accessible through Benefit Explainer and web-DENIS.

Please remember that group-specific rules and variations may apply. Please verify patient-specific benefits and eligibility coverage accordingly.