I just received a letter from the clinic stating that Tricare Primes require a 6 month documented "diet"..I have looked to see if any other post needed this but didn't see any. Did anyone else have to do this?

I find that hard to swallow, if it is true it is a very new requirement. Call Tricare in the morning and let us know.

Mimi

I have Tricare Prime and was approved for surgery October 20th. They did not require any sort of supervised diet.

Dave

I have Tricare Prime! And I got approve this week an will be band on Monday Nov 22. so you should call

Did you have it at a MTF or civilian? I did call today and the person said that it isn't tricare that requires it, the surgeon's office is saying yes. Does the different regions of tricare prime remote have different guidelines?

Absolutely there are NOT different rules....If they keep insisting, change doctors.

Mimi

I have Tricare Prime and no there is no supervised diet. Tricare requirements is that you are 100 pounds over your ideal weight. Most of the time, the doctors office lumps everyone under one insurance requirement forgetting that each insurance has a different requirement. My doctor was trying to tell me that Tricare was requiring a drug and alcohol test, I called Tricare and found out that was not one of there requirements. Also I found out that my doctor accepts Tricare Prime none of the hospitals that he is affiliated with are in Tricare Network so that mean I can go but they may bill me the 15% cost. That is why I have insurance. I may have to find another doctor. I have all of my tests done even my labs. So I will see.

Keep us posted.

Did you have it at a MTF or civilian? I did call today and the person said that it isn't tricare that requires it, the surgeon's office is saying yes. Does the different regions of tricare prime remote have different guidelines?

Nope civilian! I look on the website to see who was in my network! Went to a seminar. Insurance lady said I could have the surgery in Three week if I want because tricare has no requirement other bmi over 40 if it low I think you have to have H/B pressure and some other things. I had seminar Oct 28 went to first appt Nov 10 went to pre op class Nov 15 Nov 17 went to pre op appt Nov 22 big day:) Good luck to you Tricare work fast I live in Texas I dont think that make a difference or not

Well I guess if your in the North region you are required a 6 month diet. I am shocked that tricare isn't uniformed through out!

Though Tricare does not require a supervised diet, the doctor can require you to participate in a supervised diet before he agrees to perform surgery. When I was investigating doctors, one in my area required all patients to do this regardless of their insurance requirements; if you didn't want to be a part of his program and do the diet, he wouldn't be doing surgery on you. That's not what I wanted, so I went with a doctor who required no more than what Tricare requested.

my doctor told me the same thing. 6 months supervised diet. so I started it just to find out that tricare doesnt pay for the supervised diet visits with my doctor! I am so mad!

I was told the same thing from the dr office I am currently seeing but it is actually a little small print type of thing and is labeled under interqualls requirements or something to that effect.