Advice on TRICARE Standard and surgeons, WA
I am new to all of this but need some help/advice. I am attending seminar on 3/14 in Federal way, WA Dr. Oh. I have TRICARE standard. I am 250 lbs. BMI 40. No other real medical problems - other than being 100lbs FAT!! Anyone have recommendations of surgeons in Tacoma area?? Any experience with Tricare Standard and approval? Thanks for any info!!!
SmurfWhisperer
on 3/12/11 5:00 am - WA
on 3/12/11 5:00 am - WA
No advice, but if you get any negative feedback or want to explore other options, check out Northwest Weight Loss Surgery in Everett. I have 3 friends who saw Dr. Michaelson there and have had nothing but good things to say. My surgery is scheduled with him on 3/29.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Im sorry to ask a bunch of questions, but what area are you stationed in? What steps did you have to go thru to finally get the approval for surgery? About how long did it take from PCM appt to surgery? What kind of evals and stuff did you have to do? Im in Norfolk VA and having my first appt for the bariatrics surgery orientation in about 2 weeks, so Im just starting out. I am waiting for hubby to change duty stations (moving back here) so I can get in and begin the nutritionist and psych stuff here. I am at 40 BMI and my referral for bariatrics was approved so far, just curious about what lies ahead 
What is required depends on the doctor and also Tricare.
These were required by my surgeon.
Attend WLS Seminar. (8/11/10) I had to do this first before I could even call their office for an appointment. I did this before I even had a referral to see them as they only do it once a month and I couldn't get to my PCM until the end of August and I wanted to be able to call as soon as I did get the referral. And in fact, I wasn't even sure if I would be referred to that surgeon, but went just in case. And thankfully I was referred to her. lol!
First appointment with surgeon. (9/22/10)
Gallbladder Ultrasound. (9/24/10)
Letter from PCM. (9/27/10) This was basically just stating that I was under the care of a Primary Care doctor.
Dietary Consult (9/29/10)
Upper Endoscopy (EGD) This I didn't get to have until 12/2/10 which was about a month after they originally scheduled it for me but it didn't work around my husband's work schedule. He travels just about every other week down to Virginia for work.
This was all that my doctor required of me.
I did all this and it went to insurance the second week of January. Tricare called my surgeon and told them I needed a Thyroid test run and I needed cardiac OR pulmonary clearance. No problem on the thyroid, my PCM had run that back in August, but the cardiac thing, yeah, I needed to schedule that. And of course I got this call about needing these 2 last things the day before I left on a cruise to the Bahamas. lol! But I got right on it when I returned the next week. I did have them fax the thyroid over that day though. Make sure you get one of those done and out of the way because Tricare WILL require it. I had forgotten that everyone who has Tricare told me that they would want one done.
I had an EKG on January 30th. My PCM said it would take her a couple days to write up a letter and fax it. Well, 3 weeks passed and still, my surgeon had no letter from her. So I called and sure enough, she never faxed it. So add 3 weeks onto my wait time because of that. Finally, she faxed it, the surgeon submitted everything to Tricare again and it took only a day after showing up on my profile to come up as approved. So the wait time wasn't long at all.
But from Seminar to Approval it was 7 months. However, about 2 months of that was just waiting for appointments. And throw in the fact that my surgeon got married in October and took pretty much the whole month off, lol! So she was behind on EGD's and such because she does those herself. Oh and I had to wait for insurance to approve that too. But really, they are quick on approving things. So it was really a matter of waiting for the appointments. And of course, much of this happened over the holiday's too. Now I'm just waiting on my surgeon's office to call me with a second appointment date. At that appointment I will get my surgery date. If they don't call me tomorrow, I'll be calling them on Tuesday. I'm a little anxious to get this done already. lol!
These were required by my surgeon.
Attend WLS Seminar. (8/11/10) I had to do this first before I could even call their office for an appointment. I did this before I even had a referral to see them as they only do it once a month and I couldn't get to my PCM until the end of August and I wanted to be able to call as soon as I did get the referral. And in fact, I wasn't even sure if I would be referred to that surgeon, but went just in case. And thankfully I was referred to her. lol!
First appointment with surgeon. (9/22/10)
Gallbladder Ultrasound. (9/24/10)
Letter from PCM. (9/27/10) This was basically just stating that I was under the care of a Primary Care doctor.
Dietary Consult (9/29/10)
Upper Endoscopy (EGD) This I didn't get to have until 12/2/10 which was about a month after they originally scheduled it for me but it didn't work around my husband's work schedule. He travels just about every other week down to Virginia for work.
This was all that my doctor required of me.
I did all this and it went to insurance the second week of January. Tricare called my surgeon and told them I needed a Thyroid test run and I needed cardiac OR pulmonary clearance. No problem on the thyroid, my PCM had run that back in August, but the cardiac thing, yeah, I needed to schedule that. And of course I got this call about needing these 2 last things the day before I left on a cruise to the Bahamas. lol! But I got right on it when I returned the next week. I did have them fax the thyroid over that day though. Make sure you get one of those done and out of the way because Tricare WILL require it. I had forgotten that everyone who has Tricare told me that they would want one done.
I had an EKG on January 30th. My PCM said it would take her a couple days to write up a letter and fax it. Well, 3 weeks passed and still, my surgeon had no letter from her. So I called and sure enough, she never faxed it. So add 3 weeks onto my wait time because of that. Finally, she faxed it, the surgeon submitted everything to Tricare again and it took only a day after showing up on my profile to come up as approved. So the wait time wasn't long at all.
But from Seminar to Approval it was 7 months. However, about 2 months of that was just waiting for appointments. And throw in the fact that my surgeon got married in October and took pretty much the whole month off, lol! So she was behind on EGD's and such because she does those herself. Oh and I had to wait for insurance to approve that too. But really, they are quick on approving things. So it was really a matter of waiting for the appointments. And of course, much of this happened over the holiday's too. Now I'm just waiting on my surgeon's office to call me with a second appointment date. At that appointment I will get my surgery date. If they don't call me tomorrow, I'll be calling them on Tuesday. I'm a little anxious to get this done already. lol!
~Karen~
6cc's in a 10cc band
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