Tricare-Military Health Insurance & Skin Removal

When my surgeon originally talked to our group in July about RNY he told us all that HE could do the tummy tuck 18 months post op, after our weight had stabilized. We didn't have to have it done by any certain date though. My surgeon said he fought to be able to have it covered when he does WLS, and doesn't know how long they will continue to allow it.  This bummed some of the women out, because they will most likely be on a different military base when the 18 months is up. Luckily for me, I will be here still. So in the end - it just depends on the surgeon, or who you're working with, with TriCare, because they DO cover it. Just depends on how you go about it I suppose. Good Luck!

Did you also see this part of the regulation: (I found this at http://manuals.tricare.osd.mil/index.cfm using search term panniculectomy)

8. Panniculectomy performed in conjunction with other abdominal or pelvic surgery is covered when medical review determines that the procedure significantly contributes to the safe and effective correction or improvement of bodily function.

B. Benefits are authorized for other surgeries when the surgery is determined to be a medically necessary procedure, integral to the restoration of an individual function (e.g., panniculectomy following a gastroplasty or a gastric bypass procedure).

Thank you!  I printed this section out to take to my appointment on Thursday.  This is exactly what I was looking for.

If you will send me your email address I will send you the whole policy.  It does mention that the panni has to be medically necessary and not just cosmetic.  I go for my initial consult on Tuesday. Red

Thanks for the offer!  I found the whole policy though, and was able to print a copy of it.  I really appreciate your offer.

No I have never seen that section before but thank you very much from what that reads there it seems to me that they will cover all of the different skin removal surgeries just like the girl at the regional Tricare office told me they would. As she stated it to me if the doctor deems it medically necessary then Tricare will cover it. When you read the link that I posted it states that they will not cover any breast surgeries but the ones stated but I have been told by many people that they will cover it after the RNY just that you have to pay for the physical implants yourself.