Anyone else

on the waiting list for surgery at Portsmouth Naval Hospital? I'm on the list and have been since May, the time is actually going by faster than I thought it would. Since I didn't have a 6 month supervised diet in my file I'm seeing my dr. once a month for 6 months and i'm 3 months in to it already, i'm just anxious and ready to get it over with!!!!

Hi Malissa! I am not on the list...as I have Tricare Standard...but I live in Hampton, too...and wanted to say "HI" to you! I know quite a few people who have switched from Tricare Prime to Standard to speed up the process. If you decide to do that...and see a civilian doc...my doc, Dr. Clark is AWESOME!!!!! Have a great day! Stephanie

I keep hearing about Dr. Clark, i'm just worried about the out of pocket costs if I were to swith over... but I've heard it is alot quicker!! Thanks for stopping by to say Hi!!!

Malissa... I had already met my catastophic family cap for Standard...which is 1000. I did not pay the hospital a thing! The only thing I paid was for the program fees...and there are several different types. You will have to pay copays...but you should not have to pay more than 1000/fiscal yr out of pocket. I am so thankful I have Standard...and many others have said the same thing. I am sure you will get other replies...probably from other Dr. C patients. Also...with Standard...you have to meet criteria....but there is no prior auth required for surgery. The surgeon makes sure you fit the criteria...but you don't have to go through as much...no preapproval process. Good luck in whatever you decide to do! Stephanie

I have completed 3 months of my 6 month required dieting. I have Cigna insurance and very little in the way of co-morbidity, so I may still get rejected. If I do, I will self pay. The cost is $26,000. It sounds like a fortune, but it really is the same as a nice car. I would rather be healthy and normal weight than have a new car! I want the surgery today! Three more months seems like forever, followed by insurance rejection, then battling for months. I hate the way being fat makes me feel. Someone just told be today that I sure have gained a lot of weight in the past 6 months. I wanted to hit him. I feel so incompetent, stupid and fat.

Malissa, my surgery date at PNH is Aug. 30th I have been on the list since Feb. 05 it is moving much faster now that they have another Dr. on board. I went on Weigh****chers in July 05 for my supervised diet at the time the requirement was 12 weeks now it is 6 months I stayed on it a year and was approved at my consult in July 06 because I lost 10% of my weight on WW which they considered success, not me I stalled after 6 months and have been battling the same 5lbs for the last 6 months. Anyway the nutritionist told me at my consult that I showed that I can make permanent lifestyle changes and was therefore a good candidate for surgery. I was afraid if I lost too much I would disqualify myself for surgery. Sounds silly I know, but I didn bring my BMI down 6points but still have several charming co-morbities to choose from that kept me qualified. I know you are anxious but put the time to good use and become as informed as you can. Try making some of the lifestyle changes. Since I got my date I have stopped carbonated beverages my beloved Diet Dr. Pepper. and have switched to skim milk, caffeine will be my last stronghold to go. Since stopping the Diet Dr. Pepper I am not as hungry between meals. I read the artificial sweetners can actually make you feel hungry more often. My family has received excellent care at PNH for 10 years now and I considered them worth the wait. With one daugther in college and the other engaged to be married I can't even think about going standard. Good luck and hang in there!

Malissa- I got your email today and just now sent you a reply. I am two weeks postop and my costs, including Dr. Clark's program fee ($575) was just over $800. My PNH number was 245. Hubby decided he didnt want to take a ship here and wait for my number to come up, so I switched to Standard. I actually made half my out-of-pocket expense money by babysitting for a month! We borrowed the rest and I dont mind having a small monthly payment for a few months. Got a small loan through American General Finance. Now, when/if you switch to Tricare Standard, just remember its just you on it, the rest of the family remains Prime. And you only have to remain on Standard for a year, you can switch right back to Prime the following year. I do not get sick a whole lot, so Im not too worried about it. *knock on wood* Check your email! I outlined EXACTLY what Tricare Standard requires from you for approval. Dr. Clark is AWESOME and the staff at his center are FABULOUS!

I have Optima and work for the City of Virginia Beach. I have a 30 dollar co-pay for my consultation, all the other appointments (minus the psych) were free. I also had a co-pay of $225 for the hospital, so I guess in total I paid $285 for my surgery. I am so blessed.

Thank you everyone for your responses, as much as i'd like to switch to tricare standard i'm going to stick out with the waiting list and get as much info and be as informed as i can before my surgery, they are on #259 right now and i'm # 397, when i was put on the list they were only on #195 and that was in May, so within 3 months the line has moved pretty quickly. I swear this website should be my home page, the info on it is awesome!!!!