Anyone know if Tricare South pays for Laporoscopic Bariatric surgery?
I was told that my secondary with Tricare South will not pay for the laporoscopic but would cover the open lap. Their handbook to the members say nothing about which type is covered or non covered only that the surgery is covered as long as you are 100lbs overweight with at least one co-morbid condition. Sounds to me like it should be covered either way as long as I have met the required conditions. Is this appealable??? Please let me know if anyone out there has had their laporoscopic surgery paid by Tricare South.
I've read that Tricare will not cover Lap surgeries, only Open RNY. I've heard that they are getting better at paying for people to travel to get the open RNY since they no longer cover the Lap. I have tricare, and thats what they told me. They dont cover the Lap anymore because they find it safer to operate when the patient is open, instead of with the laparoscope. They stopped this a while ago. If you click on insurers (at your left, in the blue column) and click t, there is someone who writes a discription of tricare not covering the lap anymore. I personally think that we should have the option of getting the surgery whatever way we feel comfortable, but you know how insurance companies can be...
God Bless,
Tiffany.