Need to bring bariatric surgery under insurance cover highlighted

COIMBATORE: In order to bring bariatric (obesity) surgery, with multiple effect on various diseases, under insurance cover, city-based GEM Obesity and Diabetes Surgery Centre has approached Tamil Nadu Government.

Since bariatric surgery was still considered as a cosmetic, it was not covered under Insurance, but obesity as of now becoming a pandemic affecting more than 25 per cent of the World population, even in India was not an exception, Dr Praveen Raj, Director, of the Centre, told PTI.

Obesity could become a major killer because it's the most important predisposing factor for diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks,among others, he said.

Though bariartic surgery was performed only to reduce the weight, gradually it was proved that it can completely cure diabetes, a fact which was accidentally discovered retrospectively, Praveen Raj said.

Bariatric performing surgeons in Maharashtra had already approached their government and also sounded IRDA for bringing the surgery under insurance cover, he said.

All associations representing bariatric surgeons would meet at National level later to bring the attention of the Centre on the issue, Praveen Raj said.