I just checked Tricare website and I see that I am APPROVED for LAP-BAND®® surgery. They just submitted the paperwork 4 days ago! Whoohoo. Finally Tricare didn't drag their feet on this...it took them 2 WEEKS to approve me for endoscopy! lol Now I just need to chat with my surgeons office and get my surgery date! This made my whole day!! :thumbup:

Congrats; I know how you feel....I just got my surgery date and it just can't come soon enough! WoooHOOOO

Yaaawhooo:thumbup:, That's a big relief!!

I got my approval last week too. I have ChampVa (married to disabled vet) and had no trouble. Of course I met several of the requirements!! Over

100 lbs., Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, PLUS. Do you have a date yet?

Good Luck,

Carol D'

I do not have a surgery date yet. I should have one by this week. I had no co-morbs and I was still approved! I guess I met the 200% over ideal weight though..(not something I'm proud of) I am just looking forward to being able to go for a walk without the heavy breathing and sore back!

Lori,

I have a hard time walking up & down all the isles at the grocery store, so I hear you. Let us know when you get your date:rolleyes2:. I hope it's not too far out???

Best wishes,

Carol D'

sore back yes got that...of course I thought it was because I had big tatas LOL

July 15th can't come soon enough! I want this so bad but I still have to do what the surgeon said....get into a regular routine of exercise no matter what the might be.....walking, dancing, swimming, biking, weights, going to the gym....taking aerobic classes...anything that makes me sweat is exercise and burns calories!

WE can and will do what we have to do to make it work....no sense in going through the surgery if I thought it wouldn't work for me.

All I need is hunger control...the rest I can deal with!

Wishing you all the best of luck!

Hugs,

Lisa

Congrats on your approval I just received my approval today also so I am looking forward to setting my date hopefully it will be either June 2nd or 9th

I was just approved also. Can't believe Tricare approved me.

I’m hoping someone will see this that can help me. I have champVA and was told by them over the phone that surgery is covered if you have a BMI over 40, it is a medical necessity or attempted and failed commercial diets.

My bmi sadly is around 70, I do have high blood pressure but not extremely high...my pcp is very supportive and has already sent a referral letter to the surgeon who I’m meeting with next week!

My question is, for insurance purposes am I going to have to do a medically supervised diet with such a high BMI?

38 minutes ago, Amnico said:

I’m hoping someone will see this that can help me. I have champVA and was told by them over the phone that surgery is covered if you have a BMI over 40, it is a medical necessity or attempted and failed commercial diets.

My bmi sadly is around 70, I do have high blood pressure but not extremely high...my pcp is very supportive and has already sent a referral letter to the surgeon who I’m meeting with next week!

My question is, for insurance purposes am I going to have to do a medically supervised diet with such a high BMI?

It really depends on their requirements. I found a loophole in mine though. I was able to use dr appts from the last year or so as long as it had my weight on it and some sort of notes. I only needed 6 of those and had 4 so I only had to go to 2 pcp appointments for them to approve me on the diet part of it.

On 4/24/2019 at 5:46 AM, Amnico said:

I’m hoping someone will see this that can help me. I have champVA and was told by them over the phone that surgery is covered if you have a BMI over 40, it is a medical necessity or attempted and failed commercial diets.

My bmi sadly is around 70, I do have high blood pressure but not extremely high...my pcp is very supportive and has already sent a referral letter to the surgeon who I’m meeting with next week!

My question is, for insurance purposes am I going to have to do a medically supervised diet with such a high BMI?

For me, I have to log 2 weeks worth of everything I eat, every month for 4 months. That includes every meal and snacks. Plus how much water I drink daily. And how much exercise I do daily.

I get weighed in once a month for 6 months.

And I need to attend a Nutritional Bariatric Class once a month for two hours, for 4 months.