Tricare approvals

[HotToddy 0]

Tricare does not have any dieting requirements. Some insurances do require a 6 month supervised diet, but not Tricare. In fact, Tricare does not require any additional testing other than the surgeons routine testing (blood work, EKG, etc). I did not have to undergo nutritional counseling or a psych evaluation.

If you perform a "Tricare" search on this forum, you will learn wonderful things that will make your journey alot easier. It did for me.

P.S....my band date is 11/20!!!

Edited November 13, 2009 by HotToddy
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[Stacy1980 0]

Thanks so much! When you went to your first consult with your doctor what did you take with you? Like someone suggested my family practice doctor write a letter for me... I have never seen the same doctor while I lived in NJ for more then two times, and really my OB GYN knows me better then anyone... I do have tons of medical records from things that happened in the past, surgeries (joints), diabetes when pregnant - lost child, I get Veterans benefits because of a neck injury while on active duty in which I have degenerative disc disease in my neck... Anyways - not so share all that with you but I am hoping it helps my case to get approved. I am 5'3 and am at 228... so I am right on the line of the 100 pounds.

The doctors office said Tricare needs 6 months of a diet - I have been a member on weightwatchers since July (many times over) online. But I don't have every week weight out... is this a problem?

Thanks for your help and advice. Do any of you have blogs or pictures?

Heidi

Hi Heidi,

I made all my nut and phsyc and surg. appoitment all in one day. I brought my ins card and form of ID. During the seminar, they gave me an example of the Primary letter of medical necessity. This is one of the things that they have to send to tricare. Once all my tests were completed and that letter was sent, i got approved in 48 hours. They dont' require the 6 month diet.

This is one of the best insurances to deal with. Just make sure that when you get a case manager assigned to you in Tricare, you talk to them. If you just talk to a rep, you will get 10 different answers.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

[Wesley'sgurl29 2]

I was approved very quickly with Tricare. they have been excellent with my banding. They have paid very well this year after banding......

[Electrawoman 5]

I didn't take anything with me to my first visit though you will need a list of meds, surgeries, and illnesses if you can't remember them all. Tricare did not require med-sup diet for me. I saw the doctor for the first time on November 4. I was notified of the approval today (12 days later). All I had to do was meet with a dietician who explained what I was in for and have a psych eval with MMPI2 (scheduled for tomorrow). My surgery is scheduled for November 30 with two preop/pretest appointments prior to that. Oh, and a low-fat vegetarian diet prior to surgery starting today. (They are giving me a break and letting me start that when I receive the diet in the mail, though--that means I get to have my farewell to food AYCE lobster meal tomorrow).

[Melissawd 0]

Hi, I am new here. I have Tricare Standard, but i am affraid that i wont get approved. I am 100+ pounds over weight and my BMI is 40.4 but I dont think i have any secondary condition. I do have A LOT of really Bad family history, but not me. I do suffer from clinical depression, but i doubt that would count as anything for them. Now i want to cry... :thumbup:

Melissa

[brat7169 0]

I am so frusterated with my surgeon. I have completed all of the necessary appointments back in mid-october. Here I am nearly two months later and I am still waiting for them to submit the authorization. They told me they submitted last Monday but Tricare has no record. Does anyone know if the authorization shows up on Mytricare.com or do you have to call to determine if you are approved.

Thank you

[brat7169 0]

So after the run around I was given by my surgeons office, they finally submitted my authorization request yesterday 12/1 (when I was told it would be submitted last monday 11/22) and they requested urgent. However, Tricare won't approve an urgent request without a surgery date scheduled. So will take 3-5 for authorization to be approved. I should hear back end of the week or early next week. It's about time. I have only been waiting for 1 1/2 months for them to submit the authorization.

Note to other tricare patients - you can't use MYTRICARE.COM to view your authorization for lapband as only a partial approval is made pre-surgery and a complete approval is made after the surgery. So the authorization won't show on the website until after the surgery.