The South Carolina state employee insurance plan will cover the costs for 100 qualifying gastric-bypass or Lap-Band surgeries under a pilot program that will study the results of the surgeries for 18 months, according to reports from WCBD News 2 and the Associated Press.
State employees were covered for these procedures from 2001-2004, but the coverage ended in 2005 due to cost and risk, according to WCBD News 2.
Each procedure will cost about $24,000.
Read the WCBD News 2 report about the South Carolina obesity surgery.
Read the Associated Press report about the South Carolina weight-loss surgery.