TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
Insurance barriers holding back timely metabolic surgery: Survey
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....nsurance barriers holding back timely metabolic surgery: Survey<BR>PTI News<BR>Dated:- 26-11-2025<BR>PTI<BR>Mumbai, Nov 26 (PTI) Insurance-related barriers are delaying timely and essential bariatric and metabolic surgery for patients living with severe obesity, a survey conducted by an organisation working the field has found. It also found that nearly all surgeons feel the insurance processes n....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....eed major streamlining to improve access to health care. Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society of India (OSSI) had conducted a survey, which brought to light that 87.2 per cent surgeons saw higher patient interest after the 2019 Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) mandate for inclusion of bariatric and metabolic surgery. However, most surgeons reported under-utilisati....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....on of insurance coverage due to low awareness, high out-of-pocket costs and complex paperwork. A striking 95.4 per cent of surgeons said patients delay surgery while waiting for approval, and 69.7 per cent rated the entire insurance approval process as complicated. Most surgeons (76.1 per cent) said patients are unaware that insurance covers bariatric surgery even when medical criteria are met, ....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....and actual utilisation remains low. "Those recommended for metabolic surgery should proceed without delay, as postponing treatment only worsens obesity-related diseases. Early treatment supports faster recovery, better health outcomes," OSSI president Dr Randeep Wadhawan said. To understand the insurance gaps that continue to hinder access to life-saving bariatric and metabolic surgery in India,....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
.... OSSI conducted a cross-sectional survey among 109 bariatric surgeons from multiple states between November 2024 and March 2025. India is witnessing an alarming rise in obesity and the overall prevalence is set to triple in numbers by the year 2040, OSSI found. Obesity affects millions of people from younger to older age groups, and doctors stress that it is not a lifestyle flaw but a complex, c....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....hronic, progressive and relapsing medical condition that leads to type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, heart disease, joint problems, infertility, and increases the risk of certain cancers. Bariatric and metabolic surgery is one of the most effective treatment options for severe obesity that can lead to total body weight loss of 30 to 40 per cent and reverse many of the associated illnesse....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....s. According to the survey, most surgeons were in strong agreement on expanding eligibility, most supported lowering BMI (body mass index) thresholds and covering more comorbidities than presently listed in the IRDA mandate. Nearly all surgeons (99.1 per cent) agreed that insurance processes need major streamlining to improve access to care. They stressed the need for urgent reform to simplify ....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....processes, expand criteria, and improve the speed of approvals. "When patients cannot undergo bariatric surgery on time because of insurance delays, their disease continues to progress. Months are lost waiting for approvals, and during this period their metabolic, hormonal, and cardiovascular health often worsens," former OSSI president Dr Manish Khaitan stated. Bariatric and metabolic surgery i....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....s not cosmetic. It is a scientifically proven, disease-modifying treatment that prevents long-term complications. Insurance coverage is not a privilege, but a medical necessity that saves lives, he said. Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeon at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker, said even after the IRDAI's mandate, the gap between policy and reality is very wide. PTI SM NP<BR> News - Pre....
X X X X Extracts X X X X
X X X X Extracts X X X X
....ss release - PIB....