It's not gastrectomy, where they physically remove part of the stomach as in the VSG or DS, but it's more like the sleeve plication where they fold away and suture up much of the fundus leaving a sleeve like tube as a restriction, only they do it endoscopically. It is usually referred to as a endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

The docs that I have seen promoting it call for it to be done with a BMI of 30 or above, which implies that it is of similar efficacy as the bands and balloons. As it doesn't remove any of the structure of the stomach, it is unlikely to have any significant hormonal or metabolic effect, also like the bands, balloons and plications - so it would be considered to be a purely restrictive procedure - i.e., no metabolic help on the patient's obesity problem.

ASMBS's thoughts on it (endoscopic bariatric procedures in general) can be summed up as interesting, needed but not yet ready for prime time:

https://asmbs.org/resources/a-pathway-to-endoscopic-bariatri c-therapies

All insurance COMPANIES cover weight loss surgery. But most insurance PLANS do not.

It's like car insurance. You can buy an inexpensive policy that covers the fewest things, with the lowest limits. If you want to spend more, you can buy extras, like collision, glass replacement, towing, rental car, etc. So you can get lower coverage for lower money, or more money for more coverage.

Health insurance is pretty much the same. Employers want to save money, so they don't choose to buy the "extras," such as weight loss surgery. It's an expensive add on.

I'm sorry, but your question is impossible for us to answer. Someone can say "I have Blue Cross, and it was covered." But the Blue Cross plan you end up with could exclude WLS.

You could shop for a plan and buy it yourself that you know covers it. But not many of us could afford that. Frankly, for what six months of insurance would cost, you could go to Mexico and pay for the whole surgery out of pocket.

I wish I could be more helpful. Good luck.

You had an endoscopic sleeve? So you didn't have any kind of incisions to your abdomen?

I've honestly never heard of that and I can't imagine how it would be done. But I'm also not a surgeon so there is that.

Could it be possible that you're referring to a laparoscopic sleeve and not an endoscopic one?

The sleeve is quick money maker for surgeons. Then they make double fees from you when they revise to RNY. It is a lot of misery to put yourself through. Get RNY and skip VSG.

If I had acid issues before surgery, I would never have considered VSG. A great many people who hever had reflux a day in their lives came down with debilitating gerd after the sleeve. Many end up needing to revise to RNY.

Do a search and you will turn up a lot of instances of acid after VSG.