At what point after bariatric surgery can payers start to see cost savings?

Cost savings for payers after bariatric surgery typically start to become evident around 25 months post-surgery. This timeframe allows for the significant weight loss and health improvements that often accompany bariatric procedures to manifest. Data indicates that it takes time for individuals to achieve sustained weight reduction, which subsequently leads to decreased healthcare costs associated with comorbid conditions commonly linked to obesity, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

By 25 months, patients usually experience not only a decrease in body mass index (BMI) but also a reduction in obesity-related health issues that require medical attention, thus resulting in lower overall treatment costs for payers. Earlier time frames, like 12 or 18 months, may not fully capture the extent of these changes as patients are still in the process of adapting to their new lifestyle and may still require follow-up care and interventions. The full benefits, both in terms of health outcomes for patients and financial savings for payers, tend to materialize more robustly after this 25-month mark, aligning with the timeline when patients have stabilized their weight and health improvements are more pronounced.