Just Started Lap Band Surgery Process With Tricare

[bamagirl73 0]

hey ya'll!

i don't have a surgery date yet, but almost. i went to seminar and had all the labs done, and now i see the surgeon on oct 6th. i am so excited and kinda scared. everything i have read on here about tricare and having to wait so long and do a 6 month diet isn't so. believe me, i am relieved. they said it would be a total of 4-8 months. that is awesome. i am a navy wife with tricare prime going to MTF so i just wanted to throw that out there. also, this site is wonderful. kudos to everyone!!!!

I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!! :biggrin::lol2:

[getitgirl 0]

Hi bamagirl73,

I am like you, I have Tricare as well. I just started the process, I have had my first initial appointment with the surgeon and I am scheduled for a seminar on Oct 13. I have had lab work done through my PCP last month. A total of 19 tubes of blood, I sure hope that they don't need any more tests. I am waiting on my go ahead from Tricare I guess. I am hoping to have my surgery date soon. Please keep me updated.

Good luck

[bamagirl73 0]

that is awesome and we are neighbors (sort of) i am in virginia beach and getting banded at the naval hospital. all that blood was crazy!!!

i went to the seminar first and they ordered the labs and chest xray for us to be done before we could get our first appointment. after i see the surgeon i can schedule my psych and nutrition appt. then see surgeon again for a band date. i should be good to go.

as a heads up, especially if you go to the MTF, they WILL need a current pap result, current as in the last year.

they didn't give me an option to see a civilian. that is ok because i guess they do ALOT of bands and bypass here.

good luck to you also.

[rhonda435 2]

Navy wife here with Tricare Prime. I just started the process also. I requested a referral from my PC doc about 2 weeks ago. They sent me to an outside doc. I went to the seminar and 1st appt where they explained tricare will cover it 100%. i have an orientation to go to monday that is where i will fill out all the medical release forms and get my psych and nutrition eval date set. after that all i have left to do is upper gi and meet the surgeon. They said the entire process for me will be about 30 days. Im a week in already. My husband leave for 30 days soon so i am hoping for a early november date. as soon as he comes back. :biggrin: We are stationed at Mayport. Jacksonville fl:wink2:

[findingherself 0]

i'm also a Navy wife and Tricare was great,

They approved me ina week and i'm havingmy surgery on sept 29th. I'm currently in california

[ape087 1]

HI ladies!

Im a navy wife too with tri care prime through tri west (san diego). Im getting banded at UCSD, and went to an online seminar, then met with my dr's and their team, and did my psych evaluation all in one day. They had everything documented for me after the first appointment, and sent it all to tri care. Once they got the paperwork in (which took me calling them after tri care told me they didnt have it :frown:) it went in review Thursday afternoon, and got a call from a tri care rep on Friday afternoon telling me Im good to go, and she pressed the button to send me my authorization letter as we were talking :crying:

I know that it's going to take about a month to get everything done (labs, ekg, upper GI and such) but when you're a navy wife you learn that time really does fly by. Im hoping to get banded the second week of November (since my husband is underway all of October :biggrin:) and have to do a 3 week liquid diet.

[lovinmyband 0]

Hey Ladies...I am also a tricare baby. I am a soon to be ex army wife. My tricare process was so easy...all I had to do was go to the seminar and wrire tricare a letter. Nothing else. I was approved in 3 days and had my surgery right away. A very easy easy process for me! I am lovin my band, and know I made the best decision of my life!! Good Luck!!:biggrin:

[lauragshsu 6]

I am an AF wife and got easy approval from tricare- no waiting and no 6 month diet. The thing that took the longest was my psych eval because tricare insisted I go to one of *their* doctors. They referred me to people who didn't do psych evals (for surgery), only worked with kids, were retired and one person who had died 8 months before. Go tricare! Once all ym stuff (labs, psych eval) was turned in, I was approved within 48hrs.

[getitgirl 0]

Well I hope my process is that quick. I go back on Oct 13. I haven't heard anything from Tricare yet. I am hopeful thanks for all of your support.

[LauraLovesDogs 0]

Hi, everybody. I, too, am with TriCare. My husband retired from the Army 16 years ago. We do not live near a MTF, so had my lap-band done at a civilian hospital on 8/24/10. I think my total out of pocket will be $3000. I am doing well, I think. Lost 10 pounds before surgery, had my 1st fill on Sept 22, and haven't noticed much of a change yet. Looking forward to more fills, as I am really hungry!! Good luck to all of you.

[ana1304 0]

Congrats I am an air force wife and was a banded on september 14 its awsome!!!

[donnajlporter 1]

I am in the process of going through tri-care. Really just getting my first consutation just talked to my regular doctor, so i am just staring the process. We should have our own group of military wives who have had the lap band. I am an ex air force wife, living in jacksonville fl so i go to nas jax hospital. Any help and ideas to get started and over with i would greatly appreciate it.

HOW DO YOU GET THE WEIGHT CHART ON YOUR PAGE.

Edited September 26, 2010 by donnajlporter

[drm1123 0]

hey ya'll!

i don't have a surgery date yet, but almost. i went to seminar and had all the labs done, and now i see the surgeon on oct 6th. i am so excited and kinda scared. everything i have read on here about tricare and having to wait so long and do a 6 month diet isn't so. believe me, i am relieved. they said it would be a total of 4-8 months. that is awesome. i am a navy wife with tricare prime going to MTF so i just wanted to throw that out there. also, this site is wonderful. kudos to everyone!!!!

I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!! :yesnod::smile::sneaky:

Tricare is not as bad as people make it seem. I have Tricare Standard. My first seminar was June 1st, I changed surgeons twice and still got banded Sept. 9th.

Edited September 27, 2010 by drm1123
wrong date

[L12 13]

I have Tricare Reserve Select and it was VERY easy. The only issue I had at all with insurance was actually the (civilian) hospital's fault coding me with the wrong type of Tricare, which actually caused a delay of surgery and much more $$$--but it was rescheduled, and I eventually got a refund. I love Tricare, but would love it even more if providers understood it!

[Dawn 16]

Retired (very recently) Army wife here! We have Tricare prime and will be going to MTF but we (husband and I are both trying to be banded) are just starting. My PCM put in a consult with both nutritionist and Surgery and already did my labs. I see the nutritionist on Wed the 29th and Surgery on Fri the 1st! Don't know what else is in store for us both glad to hear that a lot of you didn't have too many issues with Tricare!