Tri Care said NO! But have other questions

[Kalimomof3 613]

I gave up on waiting for Tricare to get on the bandwagon with VSG...I don't want to die waiting. I was going to get the lap-band, but the surgeon's office submitted my paperwork with the post-diet weight so I got a big fat denial. In other words, I qualified when I got there, and that's the weight they should have submitted...or at least one that was over the required weight! I jumped through every hoop with them, including paying $800 out of pocket for all of the tests, and they screwed me over.

Long story short, it's been over a year since I was crushed by that, but I think that I was meant to do something better. I'm now scheduled to have a self-pay VSG done in Tijuana, Mexico...and getting approved was no hassle. I am age 38, 5'4", 230 lbs. with hypertension.

Is it easier to go to mexico than to find your nearest MTF?I am just curious because if you have Tri Care they cover it at an MTF (reason why is complicated) The Bariatric Clinic at the MTF here in San Antonio is a Self Referral Clinic.You come here for the seminar and you get your checklist and you can complete some of the items on your checklist(like 3 mos NUT) wherever you live...I met a girl at the Seminar that drives from Oklahoma.According to the information I received on August 1st.You can qualify if you have BMI over 40 with no co morbidities and you can also qualify with a BMI 35-40 with only 1 co morbidity like hypertention,diabetes or sleep apnea(new change ).I hope this helps

Here is the link for the MTF near me...http://www.bamc.amedd.army.mil/departments/surgery/bariatric/

[kmwheel 127]

Is it easier to go to Mexico than to find your nearest MTF?I am just curious because if you have Tri Care they cover it at an MTF (reason why is complicated) The Bariatric Clinic at the MTF here in San Antonio is a Self Referral Clinic.You come here for the seminar and you get your checklist and you can complete some of the items on your checklist(like 3 mos NUT) wherever you live...I met a girl at the Seminar that drives from Oklahoma.According to the information I received on August 1st.You can qualify if you have BMI over 40 with no co morbidities and you can also qualify with a BMI 35-40 with only 1 co morbidity like hypertention,diabetes or sleep apnea(new change ).I hope this helps

Here is the link for the MTF near me...http://www.bamc.amed...gery/bariatric/

Yes, it is easier for me, although I do appreciate the advice and I know all about the MTF route as opposed to Tricare. I live in Illinois and there are no MTF's that I know of within driving distance that either do VSG or would allow me to drive for treatment. I was treated very rudely when I did call one MTF that was within 4 hours because I heard they were doing VSG. I was told they wouldn't treat me because I was too far away and that they had stopped doing VSG anyway. I am to the point where I know I qualify (39 BMI and hypertension), I've been through all of the testing (spent $800 of my own money because Tricare wouldn't pay), and then my surgeon's office submitted my weight AFTER I lost the weight they wanted when I told them that I wouldn't qualify with that weight (for a lap-band I didn't want anyway). I can fly to San Diego, get picked up and driven to Tijuana, get the surgery and be home in 5 days...no appointments, no support groups, no calling rude people at MTFs.

Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to know that some MTFs are doing the VSG, but it doesn't help people who don't live close enough and it kind of sucks that it's not an across-the-board decision. I'm pretty excited about my decision because I know this is going to happen. I have my date, I have cash in hand, and I'm ready to go!