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Worthy of thinness: Moral reasoning and bureaucratic care in a state-funded bariatric surgery committee

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  • Nehushtan, Hilla

Abstract

In many countries, bariatric surgery is tightly rationed, yet Israel's publicly funded healthcare system provides comparatively broad access to this surgery. This ethnographic study examines how a bariatric surgery committee evaluates patient deservingness when financial constraints are sidelined. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted as part of a broader study (2014–2020) in a private hospital, including observations of over 200 candidates and in-depth interviews with 15 clinicians, this analysis examines the everyday practices of gatekeeping in a context where approval is relatively generous.

Suggested Citation

  • Nehushtan, Hilla, 2026. "Worthy of thinness: Moral reasoning and bureaucratic care in a state-funded bariatric surgery committee," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 391(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:391:y:2026:i:c:s0277953625012535
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118922
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    References listed on IDEAS

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