Centers of Excellence
Health insurers do not award Center of Excellence status on request. Each carrier independently reviews a program's surgical volume, complication and readmission rates, accreditation standing, and patient outcomes before designating it — and re-reviews on a recurring cycle.
Our bariatric surgery program holds Center of Excellence designation from:
• Blue Distinction Center — Bariatric Surgery
• Aetna Institutes of Quality — Bariatric Surgery
• Cigna Center of Excellence — Bariatric Surgery
• UnitedHealthcare Center of Excellence — Bariatric Surgery
What this means for you: coverage, prior authorization, and out-of-pocket cost frequently depend on whether your surgery is performed at a designated center. Holding all four designations means most patients with commercial insurance can be treated in-network without a carve-out or an out-of-network exception.
It does not mean every plan covers bariatric surgery — individual employer plans vary. Our insurance team verifies your specific benefits before you schedule.
Does a Center of Excellence designation guarantee my surgery is covered?
No. Coverage depends on your individual plan's benefit design, which is set by your employer or plan sponsor. The designation determines whether our program qualifies as an approved facility — it does not determine whether your plan includes the benefit. We verify both before scheduling.
My plan requires a Center of Excellence. Do you qualify?
For the four carriers listed above, yes. If your plan is administered by a different carrier or a third-party administrator, contact our insurance team and we will confirm.