Need of help

I am searching for any hospital in Kansas who will take in people for just lossing the weight. Medicare could not even answer my question if they would pay for just inpatient so while in the hospital she can lose weight. Diets have not worked, my friend is well over 600 pounds, and I know she has tried many times to lose her weight. Nothing seems to work for her. Can anyone point me in the right direction. Need Help...Thank You

As far as Medicare is concerned, treatment for obesity alone is NOT a covered service. HOWEVER, if your friend has at least 1 co-morbidity like say sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint disease anything that is aggravated by obesity really then she qualifies for bariatric surgery through Medicare. Medicare WILL NOT pay for any supplemented weight loss program UNLESS it is necessary to lose weight BEFORE bariatric surgery can be performed safely. Medicare has concerns for the health of people who are placed on very low calorie diets for longer than 2 months because of instances of cardiopathology and sudden death, as well as possible loss of body protein. Does your friend have a reason to not want bariatric surgery such as RNY or DS? Surgery is really the best treatment for morbidly obese people for both weight loss itself and maintaining a healthy weight once weight loss is achieved. In order for your friend to be covered by Medicare for bariatric surgery she will have to have the surgery done at a bariatric surgical center of excellence. If you would like more information on this then I can help you if you want just let me know. I had RNY gastric bypass paid for by Medicare on Oct 5, 2006. I've lost 95lbs so far and still going strong.

Medicare with only pay for gastric bypass surgeries. Some places in Kansas that do these are in Junction City, Topeka (Dr. Brent Steward was my doc) and Wichita, KS. I do NOT however recommend Wichita. My first recommendation would be Junction City if they take medicare but Dr. Steward is very very good also and does his laprascopic. He did my surgery 3 years ago this coming March 11. Carrie Hall