Lap band surgery has become one of the foremost procedures currently used in a effort to control weight problems. This is by no means easy, and is not designed for people only needing to loose a few pounds. There are strict requirements for those who wish to become a candidate for lap band surgery and need to have their insurance company pay for all or part of the cost. To safeguard the general public from attempting drastic measures, these requirements were developed by the NHI, National Institutes for Health in the 1990′s.