Weight Loss Center of Chattanooga

About Weight Loss Center of Chattanooga

What is Weight Loss Center of Chattanooga?

Weight Loss Center of Chattanooga, PLLC is a weight loss practice at 7405 Shallowford Road, Suite 320, Chattanooga, TN 37421. It offers two kinds of care: bariatric surgery, including the gastric sleeve and gastric bypass, and medical weight loss with prescription medication. The medication program is the part most cash-pay patients will want to look at. Its listed services are Medical Weight Loss, Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Bypass, Bariatric Surgery Timeline, and Nutrition after Surgery.

The medications named are Semaglutide (Wegovy®) and Tirzepatide (Zepbound®), and its team may prescribe them. The two people listed as prescribers are Brooke Henson, APRN, FNP-C, CBN, and Karen Michelle Sardar, MSN, FNP-C. Brooke Henson conducts the initial consultation. Dr. Jaime Ponce is president and CEO, and the materials describe him as a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, but he is not named as a prescriber. The program also includes a registered dietitian, Mary Ballard, RD, LD, and support groups led by Graham Brannan, LCSW. The practice holds a 4.9 Google rating from 106 reviews.

What does it cost?

It does not publish prices for medical weight loss, and it does not say whether medication is included in the program fee. No consultation fee is listed. Some insurance plans cover medical weight loss programs. Patients can complete a free insurance check, and a self-payment option is available for those without coverage. Reduced-price packages are offered to uninsured patients, but no figures are given. In its own words: "No insurance coverage? No problem. We will offer affordable, reduced-price packages."

Surgery prices appear in a December 2024 press release: $8,995 for outpatient weight loss surgery and $11,995 for patients who need overnight care. Both apply to patients without insurance who meet specific medical criteria. Those figures are for surgery, not the medication program. Membership terms, cancellation terms, and financing options are not published. Ask for the full cash price in writing before you book.

What should you ask before you book?

Start with who signs the prescription. Ask whether Brooke Henson or Karen Michelle Sardar will be your prescriber, and whether Dr. Ponce has any role in that decision. Then ask whether the monthly fee includes the medication or whether it is billed separately. Ask whether Wegovy and Zepbound would be brand-name products or compounded versions, since that is not stated.

Next, ask what follow-up visits and lab work cost. Follow-up is planned monthly at first, but no costs are listed. Ask whether any part of the program can be done by telehealth, which is not addressed, and for office hours, which are not listed. If insurance matters to you, ask which plans they accept, since that is not stated either. Finally, ask how cancellation works, whether any fees apply, and whether there is a refund policy. The office phone is 423-362-5673.

Who is it a good fit for?

This is a good fit if you want medication-based weight loss in Chattanooga, may want a surgical option later, and are ready to pay cash for care your insurance may not cover. If you need a written price, a clear answer on whether medication is in the fee, or confirmed office hours before you commit, get those answers first.

Sources: weightlosschatt.com, weightlosschatt.com/medical-program-weight-loss, weightlosschatt.com/meet-our-staff, weightlosschatt.com/weight-loss-drugs-chattanooga-tn

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