Careful comparisons between the laparoscopic and the open procedures have not been completed to state clear advantages or disadvantages. Some of the early studies, however, suggest the laparoscopic approach may result in reduced pain, wound complications and reduced recovery time. For laparoscopic gastric bypass, the average hospital stay is 2 days and most patients are back to working condition 2-3 weeks after surgery. I have had some patients back to work on the 4th day after surgery and some patients take 6 weeks to recover. For the open procedure, you can generally double or triple those numbers.
Most hospitals require that their insurance company approve a patient for surgery.
Unfortunately, not all insurance companies use the same criteria. Some individuals have policies that exclude weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, it's a political issue. There is a mountain of data in the medical literature that demonstrates the effectiveness of weight loss surgery. But as you know, insurance companies may have their own agenda.