Mission

To advocate for healthcare policy that ensures patients access to high quality prevention and treatment of obesity.

To be a highly valued specialty society that serves the educational and professional needs of our diverse membership.

Description

The Insurance Committee bridges the gap between the details of insurance coverage and coding and the practicing surgeon. We focus on education of the surgeon and office administrative staff on the trends and changes in insurance coverage, coding and insurance access. The committee acts as a liaison between the ASMBS, insurers and CMS on the specifics of coverage for bariatric procedures. The committee seeks to identify new and commonly performed bariatric procedures and act as a champion for the development of CPT codes for effective and efficient reimbursement. Finally, the committee acts in concert with other committees of the ASMBS on acute and chronic access to care issues.

Objectives

• Increase reimbursement for bariatric and metabolic surgery.
• Ensure appropriate CPT Coding.
• Provide clarity on insurance issues to members.
• Be a resource to ASMBS State Chapters, Access and Membership and their staff.

Current Projects

• Regularly evaluate and update the CPT and ICD-9 Codes for Bariatric Surgery for the website. The list will be reviewed every October and will be published the following January.
• Handle hotline via insurance@asmbs.org to respond to member inquiries regarding insurance issues.
• Determine FAQ for dissemination to membership via e-newsletter and web site and continue to develop communication/alerts to inform members about new codes and updated insurance coverage changes
• Coordinating with Program Committee to develop business issues and coding courses for members and their staff.

Chair
Matthew Brengman, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Co-Chair
Paresh Shah, MD, FACS

EC Liaison
John Morton, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Members
Jaime Ponce, MD, Immediate Past Chair
Laura Baldwin, RN
Helmuth Billy, MD
Mark Colquitt, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Timothy Ehrlich, MD, FACS
Wayne English, MD, FACS
Chris Gallagher
Anita Houle
Matthew Hutter, MD, MPH, FACS, FASMBS
Gregg Jossart, MD, FACS
Peter LePort, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Walter Lindstrom Jr. Esq.
Tina Napora, CPC
John Pilcher Jr., MD, FACS, FASMBS
Beth Schrope, MD, FACS
David Voellinger, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Mary Lou Walen

Susan Cox, ASMBS Staff Liaison
May, 2013