hello, I am tricare prime also, I live in Jacksonville nc,and just got banded on 2/28 .I went to greenville to Dr. Nazari with southern surgical,He is an excellent surgeon. I have never heard of them saying u have to be overweight for 3 yrs either,the only thing you had to do is show them proof for the last 5 yrs of your weight history. So if your dr does not want to help you might want to call down to southern surgical good luck