Benefit Category
Physicians' Services
Note: This may not be an exhaustive list of all applicable Medicare benefit categories for this item or service.
Item/Service Description The gastric balloon is a medical device developed for use as a temporary adjunct to diet and behavior modification to reduce the weight of patients who fail to lose weight with those measures alone. It is inserted into the stomach to reduce the capacity of the stomach and to affect early satiety.
Indications and Limitations of Coverage The use of the gastric balloon is not covered under Medicare, since the long term safety and efficacy of the device in the treatment of obesity has not been established.
