Disney

I am sorry, she was actually referred to Columbia Mo and it was a civilian hospital. She has Tri Care West and they paid the bill 100% for her bypass.

Ohh, ok gotcha! My tricare south will pay 100% for bypass and lapband, but I want the sleeve or nothing. My mother thinks I have lost my mind, but you just can't really understand the logic behind it till you do the research. My mother had the band and has had NOTHING but trouble. She is in pain everyday just from eating a teeny amount and they just tell her, basically, that's life. She has lost a lot, but at what price? Pain everytime she eats? But she can't see paying for something out of pocket when my insurance pays those others completely.

I am hoping tricare will start covering VSG the first part of 2011, but if they do not, I am going to scrounge up the money however I can.

Thanks for the reply!

Have you checked out the VAs in your area? I just thought of this, and know a couple of people that had VSG with Tricare for Life (retired Tricare recipients) at VA hospitals.

Don't get tricked into thinking Tricare will pay for VSG via a civilian or you'll get a big nasty bill when they deny all the charges since it's not an approved covered procedure outside of MTFs and VA hospitals.

Many of my friends have jumped through hoops via civilians that swore it'd be covered, then it was denied, one even got the surgery, and now she's trying to get a congressional complaint together since she just received a nice little 41K bill from the surgeon and hospital for her surgery and 1 night hospital stay ! ! !

That is such a good idea. But I have not heard the best stories about VA hospitals! Maybe it is different nowadays.

Believe me, I don't expect Tricare to pay for anything! They have made it LOUD and CLEAR that they won't touch a claim for VSG.

WOW, I don't even know what I would do if I got a bill that large! I guess if they wouldn't adjust it with the congressional complaint like you mentioned, they would be getting $25 a month for the rest of my life!

and anyway, what in the world made her bill so freakin high? All the quotes I have seen were around the 12-15 thousand mark. Labs, etc included.

My Daughter is military and she was referred out to a doctor in St Louis MO about 3 hours from her in Missouri. They don't have any big military hospitals there.

Was this Dr in St louis at a military hospital?

If so, could you tell me which one it was?> I know there is a VA hospital there, but not sure about anything else.

Have you checked into other branches MTFs? I know Kessler is in MI, don't know if they have an MTF or not but thought I would throw it out! Have you talked to Tricare about if you can get it done at an MTF close by?

That's just it, there are no MTFs nearby. The closest one I have even found that does VSG won't accept me because I am too far away.

I had mine done at the MTF here at West Point. My DH is reitred Army and we live about 14 miles outside West Point and I've had everything done there! I don't know about going out of state thing as usually you are "tied" to a certain MTF and you would have to transfer everything over to a new MTF in order to then use it unless in case of an emergency.

Where are you at?

Good Luck!

Thanks for the reply! I am in Mississippi and DH is retired Army also, but we don't use an MTF, not even one close, so we use Civilian Dr's. So actually, I don't guess I would have to transfer anything, just my med. records from my PCM. I just don't know. It is getting more and more frustrating. I just cringe at the thought of self pay when it would cost me ZERO at an MTF.

Thanks again~

Can anyone who has had their VSG done at an MTF please let me know where it was done and if you were from out of state, and also how your experience was?

I am having a hard time finding an MTF near me and when I found one kinda close, but still out of state, they said they could not take out of state patients.

I would like to hear any input anyone has on this. I would also like to thank Tiffykins for helping me so much.

I just don't think I will ever be able to afford to self-pay and am getting discouraged.

Thanks everyone!!