I need info please!

Does Tricare pay for WLS in the states? Donna

Donna, Tricare pays for everything involving WLS except the pysch evaluation. If you can get the pysch eval. on base than there is no out of pocket. Christie

Tricare also does not pay for the dietician consult unless it is either included in the WLS package with the hospital/surgeon OR if you get it done one base! michele

Hi There, I'll be having my WLS at Scott AFB on July 20th. Scott does WLS so I was able to get my dietary consult, labs, ultrasounds, through the base for free. My sleep apnea work up, cardiology and psych eval I was sent off of base for, but because we're signed up for tricare prime (enrollment is free for active duty - small enrollment fee for retirees - make sure to check this out when you return to the states) and my husband was active duty at the time, didn't cost me anything. If you're retired the visits (if you have tricare prime) should only be a $12.00 copay per visit. Just remember to get referrals for psych evals, nutrition eval, etc. You should be able to go through your pcm and it will guarentee that you won't be responsible for the visits. Also make sure to stop by your local Tricare office and double check that you have the correct coverage . I used to work for Tricare and we had alot of people coming in with large hospitals bills not realizing that they had the wrong coverage. Just ask them to explain the difference between Tricare Prime and Tricare Standard (way too long of an explaination to type in an e-mail). Hope this info helps Sandy

Hi Donna. I just found this message board. Did you find out any information? WHere are you currently stationed? We are in Minot and I thought it would be a long shot up here. But my surgery date in JUly 6th!! Good luck

Hi Donna! As you have probably read in others responses, Yes, Tricare Prime takes care of so much. I am having my surgery done at Ft Bliss, El Paso,TX since Holloman AFB,NM does not do surgery. What I would advise and check on before coming stateside is look at how long of a wait period you have at each military hospital you are considering. Any of the "big" ones like Walter Reed & the San Antonio area have LONG waiting times. In El Paso, we are advised it is a 6-8 week wait from the 2nd surgeon consult. We have been told some of the waits elsewhere were almost a year, just for the operating room to be available! So there too is something else to consider. Good Luck in getting the ducks lined up to have this done. Enjoy your time overseas. Consider it to be an extended vacation the government pays you to take. I wish I had been stationed anywhere overseas. I just wasn't that lucky.