Incorporated May 2008
Mission Statement
The mission of the Bariatric Society of the Carolinas is to enhance awareness of bariatric surgery in communities, fight for increased access to bariatric care, provide a platform for collaboration, and promote fellowship among bariatric surgical providers in the great states of North and South Carolina.
Executive Officers
President: Ken Mitchell, MD FASMBS (June 2022-June 2024)
President-Elect: Keri Seymour, DO
Secretary: Dustin Bermudez, MD
Treasurer: David Moffat, MD
IH Chapter President: Jaime Bull, PA-C
STAR (State Access to Care Representative) (NC): Keri Seymour, DO
STAR (State Access to Care Representative) (SC): David Moffat, MD
IH STAR (State Access to Care Representative) (NC/SC): Jaime Bull, PA-C
Past Presidents: Dana Portenier, MD; Rana Pullatt, MD MS MRCS FASMBS; David Wayne Overby, MD; Jason Johnson, DO; Ranjan Sudan, MD FASMBS; John Scott, MD FACS FASMBS; Roc Bauman, MD FACS FASMBS
Program Director: Keri Seymour, DO
IH Program Director: Jaime Bull, PA-C
Chapter Contact
Dana Portenier, MD
407 Crutchfield Street
Durham, NC 27704
Chapter Meetings
Joint meeting with Carolinas ACS meeting
August 23-25, 2024
Wild Dunes (Hyatt) Resort
Isle of Palms, SC
Chapter Updates
- The IH team secured both sponsorship from our industry partners and continuing education from the ASMBS for the workshop, proving that the ASMBS IH members are an interested and valuable part of the state chapter membership. In addition to educational sessions, our members had opportunities for networking and sharing best practices within and across states. The IH section has been active using social media with a facebook group used for networking questions, and as a platform to stream live educational sessions to those who could not attend the meeting.
- The BSC has worked to represent practices across both states to overcome some insurance coverage barriers and provide a forum for members to network, share clinical experiences, and provide continuing education.
- Access to care continues to challenge patients in our states. Members including John Scott, MD (ASMBS Super STAR and Chapter Past President) and Ranjan Sudan, MD (ASMBS STAR and Chapter Past President) have worked to improve coverage for state employees and those covered by the dominant 3rd party payers. We have seen some successes; one of our SC Medicaid plans, Select Health has lowered the BMI threshold for people with diabetes to BMI 30-35. We hope to see coverage for bariatric surgery for the State Health Plan Employees of South Carolina, which has been limited since the benefit was dropped in 2005.
- The BSC chapter continues to work to improve access to care for people living in SC and NC who struggle with obesity and we hope to continue to have active, engaged membership throughout the year, between meetings. We are already looking forward to what Dr. John Scott has planned for our July 2020 meeting in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- Ongoing access issues with South Carolina state employee
- Ongoing access issues with NC Medicaid
- Selection of New Officers in 2013
- Reversal of Blue Cross Blue Shield 6 months medical weight loss requirements
- Lobbying State of South Carolina for increased bariatric coverage