1. Presidential Messages
Teresa LaMasters, MD FACS FASMBS DABOM and Nate Sann, MSN FNP-BC deliver the monthly Presidential Video Message. Hear about the current state of the Society and upcoming events.
ASMBS Presidential Message
ASMBS Integrated Health Presidential Message
- The Integrated Health Perspective: ASMBS / IFSO Guidelines on Indications for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery 2022
- Tunneling through Barriers: Addressing Obstacles with Bariatric Patient Follow-up
2. Education & Events
The ASMBS Surgical Techniques And Robotic Training (START) Program held its first in-person / hands-on skill lab in Atlanta, GA, on January 24th, 2023. Fifteen bariatric surgery fellows from across the United States were selected to participate in this program. START is designed to teach and refine the utilization of robotic surgery and computer-assisted technology for a variety of common and approved metabolic/bariatric operations. The year-long program, organized and instructed by members of the Bariatric Surgical Training committee, also includes live webinar lectures and topic discussions, which are made available to the entire ASMBS membership on the ASMBS YouTube page .
Participating fellows indicated that the didactic program and skills lab have been a valuable educational experience, and plans are in motion to expand the START program for the next academic year. For additional information on schedule, course requirements, and applicant eligibility requirements, visit the START Program webpage.
WATCH THE NEXT WEBINAR LIVE ON YOUTUBE!
February 27, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
Topic: Robotic Revisional Surgery
Faculty: Dimitrios Stefanidis, MD, PhD, FACS, FASMBS, FSSH
Moderator: Dr. Matthew Martin, MD, FASMBS
Did you know that as a fellow, your Membership is FREE? A Candidate Member is in training with the intention of specializing in Bariatric Surgery. Candidate members are encouraged to reapply for full ASMBS membership upon completion of training. Fill out the Candidate Application online AND have your Program Director complete the online recommendation for Candidate applicants.
Upcoming Webinars
- February 15 | SADI, How to Get Started (Member Only Event)
- February 23 | Bariatric Happy Hour: You get a SADI… you get a SADI… everyone gets a SADI
- February 24 | The Integrated Health Perspective: ASMBS / IFSO Guidelines on Indications for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery 2022
- February 28 | Tunneling through Barriers: Addressing Obstacles with Bariatric Patient Follow-up (Member Only Event)
- March 3 | THE FELLOW PROJECT: Nonsurgical Weight Loss Options
Meetings of Interest
- February 19 – 22 | 20TH ANNIVERSARY SURGERY OF THE FOREGUT SYMPOSIUM/8TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS FOR FLUORESCENCE GUIDED SURGERY
3. Committee Updates
Do you want to be more involved with ASMBS? Apply to join a committee here!
The ASMBS gives members an opportunity to be involved in committees that impact research, education, patient access, reimbursement, technologic innovation, communication, and public service.
4. Membership News
Attention Surgeon Voting Members! Shape the future of ASMBS!!
The nomination window for Executive Council Positions has opened! Please submit your nominations to Jennifer Wynn, no later than February 14, 2023. The voting, which will be conducted by electronic ballot, will begin mid-April.
Who can nominate a person for office?
Voting Members, as defined in the bylaws as Regular or Senior members with voting privileges, have the opportunity to nominate other voting members (Regular or Senior members with voting privileges). If you have received this letter, then you are eligible to nominate another voting member.
Who is eligible to be nominated?
The list of eligible candidates for the open positions is determined by the ASMBS bylaws. All eligible candidates have been contacted to determine if they are willing to accept the responsibility of the office if elected. Some members have elected not to take on more responsibility at this time, usually due to other commitments.
CLICK HERE FOR MEMBERS ELIGIBLE FOR NOMINATIONThe list below constitutes all members in the open positions who have decided they would accept the responsibility if elected. Non-responders were not included. No other members are eligible for nomination for these positions.
Attention Surgeon Voting Members! Shape the future of ASMBS!!
The nomination window for Executive Council Positions has opened! Please submit your nominations to Jennifer Wynn, no later than February 14, 2023. The voting, which will be conducted by electronic ballot, will begin mid-April.
Please review the Submission Process and other information below and submit your nominee(s).
To Submit a Nomination
To submit a nomination, please provide the following information:
- Officer Position to which the person is being nominated,
- Name of the person(s) being nominated for that specific position,
- A paragraph describing how this member meets the qualifications and why you feel he or she is the best candidate for the position, and
- Confirmation that you have spoken to the proposed nominee about the nomination.
Attention Surgeon Voting Members! Shape the future of ASMBS!!
The nomination window for Executive Council Positions has opened! Please submit your nominations to Jennifer Wynn, no later than February 14, 2023. The voting, which will be conducted by electronic ballot, will begin mid-April.
5. Advocacy & Access to Care
ObesityPAC State Chapter Lobby Day Grant Application
Does your State Exchange include Bariatric Surgery Coverage ? Did you know that the ASMBS ObesityPAC (Obesity Political Action Committee) offers a $3000 grant that provides the funds necessary for your Chapters’ travel and expenses to visit your legislators with your patients and care team to your state capital or Capitol Hill? Nothing makes more of an impact on legislators than an amazing story of human success coupled with model collaborative care! Email info@ObesityPAC.org for more details.
Insurance Policy Updates
Thank you to our Access to Care Committee Members and Industry partners for these important updates! For more updates visit our “Payer Coverage Grids” in the Access to Care Toolkit .
- BCBS Alabama Policy – Members of the Alabama State Chapter took part in a comment period on the draft policy which mimics the final policy!
- BCBS Arkansas for ASE/PSE Contracts – See Details
- BCBS of Arkansas Policy – See Details
- Blue Shield of California – In most cases payers are adding the new CPT codes for balloon placement/removal (CPT 43290 and 43291) but continuing not to cover those procedures. However, BS of CA has some coverage updated. They include:
- Tufts Health Plan – Changes apply to:
- UHC – Individual Exchange and UHC West
- Wellmark BCBS – Coding updates for new codes in 2023 (no changes in coverage)
*Elimination of requirement that patient and physician review and sign the
*Bariatric Surgery Decision Aid
*Elimination of requirement that patient review, complete, and sign the “Collab” survey
*Change in BMI requirement from 40 kg/m2 to 35 kg/m2
*In the event of the presence of one comorbidity, change in BMI requirement from 35 kg/m2 to 30 kg/m2
*In the event of the presence of one comorbidity, BMI requirement of 27.5 kg/m2 for Asian individuals
*Addition of requirement: The patient has failed pharmacologic treatment of at least one year by not achieving weight loss below a BMI of 30 kg/m2 (27.5 kg/m2 for Asian individuals) or failing to maintain weight loss below 30 kg/m2 (27.5 kg/m2 for Asian individuals) despite ongoing treatment
*Tufts Health Plan Commercial products
*Tufts Health Direct – A Massachusetts Qualified Health Plan (QHP) (a commercial product)
*Tufts Health RITogether – A Rhode Island Medicaid Plan
*Tufts Health Unify
*Tufts Health Plan Senior Care Options (SCO), (a dual-eligible product)
*Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO, (a Medicare Advantage product)
*Addition of requirement: Public Plan Products: Bariatric surgery must be performed at facilities in the Designated Provider Network for Bariatric Surgery (DPNBS) in order for the procedure to be covered for Public Plan Members as delineated by: MassHealth Guidelines for Medical Necessity Determination for Bariatric Surgery
*Added details about possible complications leading to revisions
*Included details on clinical documentation requirements – ideally providing some clarity on what they want to see in the review/prior auth process
*Coding updates for new codes in 2023 (no changes in coverage)