Medical Weight Loss FAQ

• Does my insurance cover any of the weight loss programs cost?
• How much does the program cost?
• Can my expenses be tax deductible?
• Do I have to be extremely overweight to go on a program? What if I only need to lose 10-15 pounds?
• Are your weight loss programs safe if I have diabetes or any other medical conditions?
• How many weight loss programs do you have?
• How long do I have to stay on any of these weight loss programs?
• How often do I have to come in for visits?
• What is obesity?
• What is a bariatrician?

Does my insurance cover any of the weight loss programs cost?

We do accept all PPO insurances as an “out of network” provider for Office visits, Nurse visits and all diagnostic testing. It is important to understand that insurance coverage is variable:

• 1st Variable is your particular Plan: Our staff will be happy to check for your “out of network” benefits. Most insurance carriers try to convince patients to go to “in network” providers mainly for their own financial gain. However, it is usually more beneficial for the patient and to the physician to deal with “out of network benefits”.
• Other Variables will be based on the physicians evaluation.

In order to answer your questions better, our staff will check your Insurance plan to schedule you for your first evaluation visit with Dr. Kerendian. The evaluation then will help us get further details as to the extent of long term coverage.

We will be able to inform you to what level your insurance carrier can help you with your overall costs, by the 2nd consultation visit.

Pain Therapies Coverage: Most Insurances do cover most of Dr. Kerendian’s pain therapies. We will be able to give you full details after Dr. Kerendian has evaluated you and has a treatment plan for you.

How much does the program cost?

Here at Delight Medical we do not believe in cookie-cutter approach to weight management, simply because it does not work. Therefore there is no ONE “program” or “price list” that applies to everyone.

The pricing for your personalized plan can only be known after this plan has been formulated in a teamwork approach by yourself and Dr. Kerendian. We will be happy to discuss fees, costs and other critical facts once we have a formulated weight management plan, immediately after your consultation visit with Dr. Kerendian. This way you will be informed of any and all costs before you commit to them.

We also accept Visa and MasterCard. However, if you would still like more information prior to scheduling your 1st visit please call the office 310-859-1077 and we would be glad to answer any questions.

Cost Range can start as low as $100 per month.

Can my Expenses be TAX DEDUCTIBLE?

Yes! Not only can your Doctor Visit fees be tax deducted, but most of the “out of pocket costs” that you spend with Delight Medical Center is eligible for tax deduction.

As of 2012, IRS has made costs associated with Medical Weight Loss as a tax deduction item.

We would be happy to provide you with ledgers for you to submit to your accountant.

Do I have to be extremely overweight to go on a program? What if I only need to lose 10-15 pounds?

This Practice is for everyone, not only for people who are extremely overweight. Dr. Kerendian puts the same effort with someone who needs to lose 5 pounds as he does with someone who needs to lose 200 pounds. His first priority is your overall health, well being, and personal satisfaction. No two patients have the same body, therefore everyone has their own tailor made treatment plan. As a specialized physician in this field, Dr. Kerendian enjoys and is committed to fixing any and all weight related issues.  He utilizes objective analysis of YOU to tailor an affective program for YOU.

Are your weight loss programs safe if I have diabetes or any other medical conditions?

As a Bariatric physician and an Obesity Specialist, Dr. Kerendian recognizes and modifies his plans based on multitude of factors especially any medical diagnosis which need to be monitored or addressed such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, hormone dysfunctions or any other medical problems. Please keep in mind that affective physician-supervised weight management can help alleviate many of the other conditions that result from obesity, including arthritis, diabetes, coronary artery disease, sleep apnea, lower extremity edema, hypertension, and high cholesterol, depression, and 45 other medical issues.

How many weight loss programs do you have?

We have a different program for each individual because no two people are alike, and your program is tailor made for you. As a specialized physician in this field, Dr. Kerendian is comfortable in understanding the different etiologies and recognizing which etiology is present in you that are “weighing you down”. This etiology or combination of etiologies is different from individual to individual. And a successful weight management plan is one that addresses these factors, which may include physiological, medical, anatomical, metabolic, or related to nutrition, activity level, or certain behaviors. Bottom line: our success and near perfect track record with patient satisfaction is because Dr. K utilize objective analysis of YOU to tailor an affective program for YOU.

How long do I have to stay on any of these weight loss programs?

The length of time you may stay on any weight loss program depends on which program you are on, how much weight you need to lose, and how cooperative your body is with your battle to take away its fat content. Our goal is to make you get to your goal weight as soon as possible so that we can help you maintain your weight for the rest of your life. Your newly learned lifestyle improvement habits along with our maintenance programs and support will help you maintain your weight loss for the rest of your life. Our programs are comprehensive and address behavior modification and counseling, as well as exercise recommendations created to help you achieve on-going success.

How often do I have to come in for visits?

This depends on your personalized plan and will be discussed with you on your initial consultation visit. Doctor visits can range anywhere from once a week to once a month. Support staff visits can also be variable depending on your plan.

What is obesity?

Obesity used to be understood in fairly simple terms: excess body weight resulting from eating too much and exercising too little, due in large part to a lack of willpower or self-restraint. Fortunately for the millions of American adults who are overweight, obesity is now regarded as a chronic medical disease with serious health implications caused by a complex set of factors.

Recognized since 1985 as a chronic disease, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death, exceeded only by cigarette smoking. Obesity has been established as a major risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and 45 other medical problems including some cancers in both men and women. Obesity affects 58 million people across the nation and its prevalence is increasing. Approximately one-third of adults are estimated to be obese.

Obesity results from a complex interaction of genetic, hormonal, physiological, anatomical, psychological, behavioral and environmental factors causing an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. According to the National Institutes of Health, an increase in body weight of 20 percent or more above desirable weight is the point at which excess weight becomes an established health hazard. Lower levels of excess weight can also constitute a health risk, particularly in the presence of other disorders like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

What is a bariatrician?

A Bariatrician is a licensed physician (Doctor of Medicine [MD] or Doctor of Osteopathy [DO]) who, as a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP), has received special training in Bariatric medicine; the medical treatment of overweight and obese individuals, and its associated conditions. Bariatricians address the obese patient with a comprehensive program of diet, nutrition, exercise, lifestyle changes and, when indicated, the prescription of appetite suppressants and other appropriate medications, or hormonal adjustments. (The word Bariatric stems from the Greek word Barros, which translates as heavy or large.)

While any licensed physician can offer a medical weight loss program to patients, members of the ASBP have been exposed, through an extensive continuing medical education program, to specialized knowledge, tools and techniques to enable them to design personalized medical weight loss programs tailored to the needs of individual patients and modify the programs, if needed, as the treatment progresses. ASBP members are uniquely equipped to treat overweight and obesity and associated conditions.

A physician-supervised medical weight loss program may be the safest and wisest way to lose weight and maintain the loss. Overweight and obesity are frequently accompanied by other medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer and others. A Bariatric physician is trained to detect and treat these conditions, which might go undetected and untreated in a non-medical weight loss program.