Tricare Prime Question!

Does anyone here on this board have Tricare Prime? If so, please response to this question. I got a letter in the mail from Tricare that stated that they consider the lap gastric bypass to be unsafe and less superior to conventional therapies, so therefore, my request for authorization has been denied!! Has anyone heard about this??!! Feel free to response here or email me at [email protected] Thanks. Patricia Dobson Goose Creek

Hi Patricia, I have Tricare Prime and had lap RNY on August 1. The denial they gave you doesn't make sense to me. I would resubmit as I know of several people who have had or been approved for the same procedure. Tricare only requires that you are a hundred pounds overweight or weigh two times your ideal weight. By the way we just bought a house in Goose Creek and will be moving down after Christmas. It is in the Cherry Hill subdivision of Crowfield. Maybe we can get together. I will be praying that Tricare approves and you get this surgery. It has made a huge difference in my life. I am 4 months out, lost 62 lbs and am doing great. I have been very fortunate that I have had NO complications. Feel free to e-mail and ask any questions that you might have and I will gladly tell you what I know. Good Luck !!! Carol

Hi patricia.. I am having lap-by-pass done Dec.31th at M.U.S.C. and I am tri-care prime.... So i am alittle confessed by letter? I hope you can get through to someone who can explain this.... If I can help in anyway let me know.... Deborah.....

hi, there!... just wanted you to know I also have tri-care prime..But i am going to Dr. Byrne at M.U.S.C. my surgery is Dec31th... I am not having a lap-band done ... I work at Trident Medical Center and know there's alot that can go wrong... they can slip up to your eso and slowly choke you they can also rot in there and usually are only good for 5 years.... Now I am not saying that happens to everyone, I'm sure there are people who have done it and had great success.... But I only what to do this one time so I'm going to have it done laposcopely (spelled wrong) sorry.......... Dr. Sellbeck does by-pass at Trident medical center but he won't do lap-band either. I work at Trident medical and have seen alot of what can happen... and I've done alot of research on all options. And am glad with the one have have made. Who is your PCP? Mine was Dr.Brewer but he left so now I go to Dr. Maneker. But we are in Air force.... If you are Navy you have different doctors. I say you start over and chose different option if serious about surgery. E-mail me if you have any questions I can help you with or help you research anything. Deborah...Summerville...

Debbie: Thanks for the input, but by the word "Lap" I meant the laproscopic gastric bypass not the lap band surgery. Patricia