SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., -Regional West Medical Center announced today that it is now an official Cigna Certified Hospital for bariatric surgery. This designation allows a reimbursement for bariatric surgery for Cigna health insurance members according to the terms of the individual’s personal plan. Members should verify their coverage and request clarification before the surgery is scheduled.

Regional West Medical Center and Western Surgical Group of Scottsbluff began offering gastric bypass surgery in 1980 and laparoscopic bypass surgery in 2000. In 2001, Regional West became the first hospital in the region and one of only two hospitals (the other in Texas) west of the Mississippi River to perform lap banding procedures. Since that time, over 750 gastric band procedures have been performed at Regional West Medical Center, which has been designated as a bariatric Center of Excellence by the American Society Bariatric Surgery (ASBS). ASBS Center of Excellence designation ensures compliance with rigorous standards for bariatric surgery.

Regional West Health Services, with over 1,300 employees, provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people and communities of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 110 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, Regional West Health Services offers care that spans more than 40 medical specialties. Regional West Medical Center, a subsidiary of Regional West Health Services, is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is one of only three Level II Trauma Centers in the state of Nebraska.