Just Started Lap Band Surgery Process With Tricare

[AFwife03 0]

Trying to get the process started...are there any overseas military wives here? Any advice?

Thanks.

[GonnaBeFit 0]

Hello! My PCM referred me to the Bariatrics office in August, had my info meeting August 4th, consult august 25th and I am due for surgery on october 19th! Tricare has been awesome, no problems or requirements at all besides being above 40% BMI ... My surgeon said they are the easiest insurance company!!

[AFwife03 0]

Thanks for the reply. I'm still waiting to hear back on some labs then my PCM is going to refer me to a surgeon. We PCS in March, so I don't know if I'll be able to get it done before we leave.

Did your PCM have you go to a 6 month nutrition class? And did Tricare say anything about a class like that?

Thanks again.

[GonnaBeFit 0]

Hey! I had been seeing my doctor every 3 months for blood work because I have PCOS but she never required a diet class or anything like that. All that Tricare requires is that you are above 40% BMI and if not then you have a comorbidity ... Tricare will probably more than likely not be any trouble to you!

[LauraLovesDogs 0]

I was banded 8/24/10 and was amazed at how easy it was to get approval. Tricare has been great!! My surgeon requires a few classes before surgery, meeting with a dietician, sports medicine therapist & psychiatrist. This took about 3 months only because my schedule was so busy. My BMI was 44 and I have diabetes, high blood pressure and I'm more than 100 lbs over weight, all factors in getting approved.

Good luck to my fellow military wives on this journey!!:drool:

I, too, am a follower of Jesus Christ and a proud Army wife and Navy mom!

[AFwife03 0]

Thanks ladies. I'm really excited about this journey. My BMI is 43. So I know I can qualify. 've been over weight my entire life and I am so ready for this life style change!! Thanks for the advice!

*AWANAS Cubbie leader, mother of a AWANAS Sparkie and Puggle and husband to a Cubbie director and AF wife of 7.5 years. :drool: * GOD BLESS!

[Lvnlady 0]

good luck bama girl! I am an Army wife (retired) worked with tri care and was banded in Jan. Another Army wife friend is going through the process today. No 6 month diet requested for either of us. She went for a pscy evail today and has already heard back from surgery center he sent in the request. Now just waiting on tricare. I was about 6 months toltal for approval.

I am down 41 lbs. So good luck to you!!! keep us posted.

[bamagirl73 0]

hey ya'll!

thanks for all the replies back. i must admit that i feel kindof jealous of those of you going to civilians and not having to wait so long for surgery :crying:, but that is ok. i just know that when i do get my surgery date it will probably be quick or at least feel quick to me (HOPEFULLY!) not that i want to wait or that i'm not ready. i have to say that since my seminar i have been eating things i know i won't be able to eat after the banding. it is exactly what they said NOT to do so i am going up and down 5 pounds from my seminar weight. on the brighter side, i have been going to the gym and no that isn't my excuse to eat more, LOL. i am eating "things" not "over eating", i think there is a difference :thumbup:.

so i see my surgeon on wed 10/6 and i already know my labs were all good and my rheumatalogist cleared me. if my surgery is before thanksgiving i am gonna have thanksgiving dinner early :thumbup:.

ok, this was long. sorry.

so how is everyone else doing?

[jeepingirl 0]

Army wife here with tricare prime... from my initial visit with my pcm until my surgery date it was only 6 wks! very quick.

tricare has been awesome throughout the whole experience! the only issue i had was with my pcm/nurses in the beginning trying to tell me tricare didn't cover it, i had my surgery in 08, very shortly after tricare approved them to be done lol.

excited to see so many military wives on here- i had no idea!

[MellieW 0]

Hi everyone! I'm an AF wife, too, (retired) and I was approved through Tricare Prime (North) within 3 days. The longest part of the pre-approval process is all of the medical testing (blood work, sleep study, ekg and pulmonary function tests) and psych eval prior to insurance submittal. But it was still a fairly quick process for me. From my initial appointment with my chosen surgeon to banding was a total of 3 1/2 months!

Good luck to all of you.

[avilla22 0]

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!

Hello I have Tricare Reserve Select and u seam to know alot about what to expect and what to do. I have my first visit with the doctor next week. I guess my question is what should I expect my out-of-pockect cost to be? My catastrophic cap has been met or very close to being met. Can u pls help me? Thanks

[ErinMarie 186]

Hello I have Tricare Reserve Select and u seam to know alot about what to expect and what to do. I have my first visit with the doctor next week. I guess my question is what should I expect my out-of-pockect cost to be? My catastrophic cap has been met or very close to being met. Can u pls help me? Thanks

I have RS too and I was told my surgery will be 20% after deductible and $25 max for the hospital stay. Sadly, its not as good as Prime, but it's pretty darn close! I am not far enough along to know about any other possible charges.

[Laurenf25 0]

Tri care was great for me too! I had standard, I don't like hmo deal. I got an approval in less than a week from my paperwork being sent in! with very very very minimal out of pocket cost.

[Laurenf25 0]

I have standard, I don't know if thats like reserve select...The only thing I had to pay for was my dr co pays (15$) when I went into the office and for my surgery/hospital stay was 50 deductable which had already been met..and a 25 dollar co pay for outpatient surgery.

I have RS too and I was told my surgery will be 20% after deductible and $25 max for the hospital stay. Sadly, its not as good as Prime, but it's pretty darn close! I am not far enough along to know about any other possible charges.

[MrsMoretti 0]

Hi everyone please help me.... did hear tri care just changed there policy and now make u do 6 months of documented weightloss with no results.... is this true anyone got approved without being on a 6 month program....??