Often driven by insurers, delays in approving weight-loss surgery can deter some patients from the pursuit. And waiting longer doesn’t improve safety, a new study says.

To increase patient satisfaction and lower costs in emergency departments, researchers interviewed former surgical patients who later visited EDs with nonemergent conditions.

As more Americans turn to bariatric surgery for weight loss, a new study suggests they may not want to wait until their BMI exceeds 40 to reap the biggest benefits.

Obesity is a chronic disease with proven treatments. But insurance and other issues block access to some such therapies, bariatric surgeons say.