Tricare??? Anyone???

I to was a week away from having surgery at a military hospital. A week before surgery it was canceled due to a PCS. I am so happy I did not get the surgery there! I was able to get a wonderful surgeon at a center of excellence. My surgeon has done so many more surgeries than the one on base. I didn't have to have a drain tub...no two week liquid diet. I also had blood clots two weeks after surgery. I feel like if I had gone on base for treatment I would be dead. My clots did not present normally and the base probably would have sent me home with Motrin. While I have had good care on base I feel like I have had awesome care from my surgeon and staff at the hospital. Plus I didn't have to share a hospital room like I would have on base. I live an hour away from base so I also see a family doctor where I live....best health care I have had in 17 years of marriage to my husband.

I was so disappointed that we had another procedure not covered by Tricare that I picked up my employer's insurance for one year. Then right after I did that, Tricare started covering it. I'm still glad I did because there aren't any doctors close to me that will accept it. However, they do accept my employer's insurance. Now I have Tricare as a secondary, and I'm not paying much of anything for the procedure.

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Hi everyone,

Has anyone had the vsg surgery through United Healthcare Tricare West region? If so, did u have to do the 6 months of supervised diets or weigh ins? Were u approved quickly? Any info on UHC Tricare would be greatly appreciated.

I am in TriWest...Boise, ID. You will need to do a 3 month supervised diet. I had those in my medical record over the past year. I did have to do a few other tests but those were doctor requirements. I just had a friend go to her first apt July 7th and already had approval through TriWest. She will have surgery in August...she already had 3 months of supervised dieting in her records.

I am in TriWest...Boise, ID. You will need to do a 3 month supervised diet. I had those in my medical record over the past year. I did have to do a few other tests but those were doctor requirements. I just had a friend go to her first apt July 7th and already had approval through TriWest. She will have surgery in August...she already had 3 months of supervised dieting in her records.

Thank u for replying, Lindsey.

I know a lot of people who have UHC but not through Tricare and everyone has to do a 6 month supervised diet/weigh-ins ins. So I just wanted to make sure and see if Tricare was the same or not. I know that on the website it does not specify the amount of time. I hope my surgeon only has me do 3 months or less lol. I called tricare to see if my authorization to start the bariatric program was approved and it was. The agent told me my approval dates are for 7/20-1/16.

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I have TriWest, I'm in California. All I did was meet with my PCP and let her know my failed attempts and asked for a referral. I had zero issues and did not have to prove anything. I am going through the surgery center on base, but the docs seem extremely competent.

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@@Lindsey Skinner Abbott and @@kadi_o

Did any of you guys have to pay out of pocket for the surgery?

Edited August 1, 201610 yr by sarcruze

No, mine is covered 100%. But again, it's through the hospital on base. Side note- plastics is also offered for a copay 18 months after the surgery.

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TRICARE does approve the sleeve. They just paid 100% of my sleeve on June 29th.

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& I went to an off-post doctor...

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Going on base is a completely different reqirment. Base does not go through Tricare for payment. You will just be required to adhere to your surgeons requirements. I am in Tricare prime and didn't pay any type of co-pay....although my husband is still active duty.

I dropped to tricare standard, to be able to pick my surgeon, I will have to pay the deductible for the year. The deductible is 1,000 for the fiscal year so I am trying to get everything done before October.

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I have tricare standard as well. I can not afford to pay $1000. I also have medicaid. Hopefully they will cover those expenses

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If there is a military hospital near you and you can get in there it should be free.

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Or hopefully medicaid picks up the deductible for you

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I live in northern Arizona. The closest one that has a bariatric program I believe is in San Diego

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@@flip26

I called the tricare standard west region rep and she said that I will only have to pay for the hospital stay which is $18 a day. I asked her about the $1000 catastrophic cap and she said that I will only have to pay copays if I don't reach the $1000 cat cap.