New Employee Program for Bariatric Surgery Patients

Duke will soon launch a pilot program for active employees and family members covered under Duke Health Plans to provide more support leading up to and after bariatric surgery.

Under new guidelines, participants who receive surgery will now need to participate in a weight management program for at least three months prior to surgery instead of six. Upon completion of the program and six months after surgery, participants will now receive a $500 healthcare reimbursement account (HRA) debit card to be used for eligible healthcare expenses.

Changes to the benefit came after Duke administrators and doctors determined additional incentives would further improve the success rate of bariatric surgery patients. Since 2010, 72 percent of employees or their family members who received surgery successfully completed post-operation programs.

“We’ve found great value in this program in the past, but we thought it’s important to further assist people in weight loss efforts even after the bariatric procedure,” said Jane Walbrun, associate director of benefits for Duke's health plans. “The opportunity to go back to Pathways to Change or Weight Watchers can reinforce healthy eating and exercise habits.”

The pilot program will run now through July 1, 2016. To participate, employees must be benefit eligible with at least five continuous years of service and meet these criteria:

• Covered under Duke Select, Blue Care or Duke Options health plans.
• Be severely obese with a Body Mass Index of 40 or more, or significant co-morbid condition with a BMI of 35 to 39. To determine Body Mass Index, use this calculator.
• Participate in Pathways to Change, a program run by LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, or an on-site Weight Watchers group. Exercise must be logged for at least three months prior to surgery with no more than a three-month gap between program participation and surgery.

To receive the $500 HRA card, it’s required to complete six months of Pathways to Change or Weight Watchers post-surgery while continuing weekly documentation of exercise. Eligibility for the card requires continued employment at Duke and coverage under a Duke or COBRA health plan.

In addition, current employees and their family members who’ve already received bariatric surgery after January 2010 may be eligible to become involved in the pilot program. Specific criteria for those who had surgery prior to Jan. 1, 2015 can be found here. 

The cost of bariatric surgery, which is covered under Duke benefits, is $2,500, which was lowered from $4,000 in 2014. Surgery is available at Duke weight loss facilities, which are recognized with distinction by the medical community.

Information about how to apply for the pilot program can be found on the Duke HR website.