title: Insurance status and outcomes in laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is a proven method for achieving long-term weight loss, but there has been controversy regarding how pay status impacts outcomes after surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare outcomes of LAGB with respect to percentage excess weight loss (%EWL), perioperative complications, and number of band adjustments between insured and self-financed patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of data (n=108) including demographics, comorbidities, operative complications, and %EWL for 5 years postsurgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no demographic differences between the Insured Group and the Self-financed Group, except mean preoperative BMI (P=0.049). There were no complications reported and no differences in %EWL between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study assessing outcomes and complication rates with respect to pay status in an outpatient surgery center bariatric patient population. These results demonstrate that self-financed patients did not achieve greater weight loss compared with privately insured patients undergoing LAGB.
authors.affiliation: *Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center †Day One Health, The Surgery Center, 900 North Michigan Surgery Center, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Balash
authors.forename: Nicole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Nicholas E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Bruns
authors.forename: Minh B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Luu
authors.forename: Amanda B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Francescatti
authors.forename: Basile
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maroulis
authors.forename: Khristi M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Autajay
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss