Mommie_of_4

My doctor hasn't mentioned the EKG or Xrays yet...but I haven't had my pre-op meeting yet either. WOW 42 pounds in 40 days!! That's awesome...Now I like 42 lbs in 40 days better than I like 40 days of rain...Noah would have been so jealous!!:embaressed_smile:

Not sure if I was over by 100 lbs or not...my bmi was less than 40. My dr. submitted my paperwork to tricare and it was approved. Do you have a consult approved with the dr. from tricare already? if so, schedule the initial consult and have them submit the insurance paperwork. If you have to tell them that you would self-pay if insurance denied surgery then do it. Thier initial visit with you is covered already..

Hi, I'm going through the process of getting banded. I have had my initial consult with Dr. Ferrara, and my nutrition meeting. I have my phych eval tomorrow and hopefully will be scheduling my surgery for August or September. A little about me...I'm 5'5 and about 225 pounds. I want to lose at least 80 pounds. I'm married with 4 kids (just in case you didn't get that from my user name ). I don't have the spousal support for the surgery, so I'm hoping to find a friend that would help me through it. This site has been great but wanted someone locally to talk to in person (lunch visits, phone, email, whatever). Would like buddies that have been there done that...and someone going through the motions now like me. Thanks so much!!

Please forgive the multiquote!! Kasey ~ Would love to be buddies and go through the steps with you of your 6 month journey to a newer you!! Losingjusme ~ CONGRATS on the baby!! I saw that you have lost 160 pounds and gained a baby!! Did you have the lapband previously? If you have any baby questions let me know...I'm a mommie-pro (4 kids - ages 5, 3, 20 months, 6 months) :cursing: CassCass ~ Wish my date was Aug 7th! Have you gone to any of the Tuesday support sessions at the office? I would love to chat with you more about your feeling on the Dr. office and staff. Also about the pre-op diet that they put you on.

nursejag, who called you and told you that? Your PCM or tricare? I've never heard of that before. Maybe they want you to choose your bariatric dr. I had to tell my PCM who I wanted them to refer me to. You have to look for a bariatric surgeon that accepts tricare prime.

I found out yesterday that my surgery was approved but my follow-up (fills, et...) was not listed in the approval. Is this done as a separate approval?

I just got approved for surgery by Tricare on Tuesday!! :thumbup: and was looking forward to my physch eval on Wednesday - 7/2/08. After the appointment, I was hoping to have my surgery scheduled and beging the journey... My phych eval was at 1 pm and then moved back to 3 pm...and then cancelled!! So I had to make a new appointment and can't get in for another eval until July 15th. They only do phych evals 2 days a week (tuesday and wednesday) and something happened to where whe cancelled all appointments on 7/2. I would think that they would do 3 days next week or move them to thursday. I know it's only a small setback...but I want to get this started and losing weight!!

Zeama...sorry for all the questions!! But were the EKG, EGD gallbladder and pylori test something that Tricare made you do or done because of your doctor and comorbids? My doctor never mentioned any of these tests. Tricare has approved the surgery but nothing else (except for 4 office consultations). I paid for the nutrition (and the physch) eval out of pocket since it wasn't approved by tricare. Thanks for answering the questions. I'm sure I will have more!! :thumbup:

Thank you all for your words of patience!! Zeama...what other tests have you had to do? I had my nutrition exam and that is it so far. What other things will Tricare make me endure? Do you have Tricare Prime?

I have Tricare prime (south)

I don't know what to do. I want the surgery but I don't want to listen to the grief from my husband. He will be travelling so much over the next few months. I have my family that will help me out when he is gone. Anyway...going for my phych eval today and hopefully scheduling the surgery and the rest of it too.

Congrats to you too poohrecious!! Life is good!!

No over stepping, I know I need to talk to him, but he would NOT be supportive in the least bit. He's a Marine/Navy man and believes that if you want it to come off...you should work it off. He would think surgery is a shortcut and might see it as me being a slacker and lazy. So...that's my dilema!

I just looked at my referral for tricare online and my status is 'pended'. Does anyone know what that means? Seen it before? Is it good or bad? If you were pended...where you approved or denied? so many questions!! ahahahahaha...what an agonizing process!!:confused2::frown:

I just got off the phone with Tricare...and they stated that file is pending review. It will be up to 5 days before a decision is made. So keep your fingers crossed. I had my nutrition meeting at the Dr's office yesterday. It was $75. I have my physch eval tomorrow - $150. I think I might wait on the Physch eval to see if I'm even approved because I don't want to give up $150 and get denied insurance coverage. I can't pay for the surgery out of pocket, so insurance is my only option.

My Dr. is Ferrara in Fort Worth, Texas. My file was submitted on Friday. So it was pretty quick that they even have something 'pended' in the system. I'm calling them 1st thing in the morning and will keep you guys posted!!

Has anyone had lapband in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and Tricare Prime paid for it? I spoke with my PCM and he said I needed to find a surgeon. But tricare doesn't have bariatric surgeons listed on their site to find a specific doctor. How do you go about finding a surgeon that take tricare prime?

Has anyone been told that Tricare prime insurance requires you to stay overnight? I just called TrueResults.com for a free consultation and they stated that Tricare requires you to stay overnight and since they are on an outpatient service...the referred me to Centers of Excellence facilities. Anyone told this?

Thanks for such a great response... RhondaD and Peanutngp ~~~~ can you tell me a little something about how your referral process worked and tricare approval went. Who are your PCMs. I live in grand prairie (75052). So I'm willing to drive to Fort Worth or Dallas for the surgery. Do you have Tricare Prime? Any insight into getting tricare approval would be great! Thanks

minpinmom ~ who and where did you have your surgery? Thanks...looking for surgeon but they don't list that bariatric on the tricare site for surgeons. How did you go about locating a doctor near you that took tricare prime?

Well I'm new to thsi site. I'm interested in getting the lapband done, but wondering if anyone in TEXAS has had the procedure done and Tricare insurance paid for it. I was looking at the True Results website and they say they don't take tricare. So what doctors would I be referred to? Also, I want this procedure, but my husband would be 100% against it. He is a marine/navy man who is in GREAT shape. He believes that all can be done with working out and nothing else. Well I've tried working out and nothing really happens. I lose then gain more. I have 4 beautiful children and have been pregnant for half of our marriage. But weight has really been an issue for our marriage. I want to do this because all of my kids are under 6 (5, 3, 16 months, 14 weeks). I would pretty much have to do this whole process alone and without my husbands support. So my last question would be to see if anyone has done the process alone and what do you think?

My husband is a true believer of you can work it off. No surgery is needed and you can do it on your own. If I had the surgery I would opt not to even tell him. I want a healthy life with my kids and want to run/play with them without being winded. Or for them to think that mommy can't play with us because she is big. I'm going to go to the seminar and see what it's all about. I need to talk with my primary and get his backing too! thanks so much!