tricare prime tt candidate???? nope just panni.

ok got deferred out, went to my civilian ps, he said he can get me my panni no problem but if i want the full tt i will have to pay 3000.00, i guess he thinks im still to heavy in my stomach area. the panni is what i originally tried for, so i guess its better then nothing. i dont want to take any of the moolaw honey put in our money market. i know im not gonna look like a model, plus my big apron is what holds my drawers up. then as he was takin pics for insurance he see's my big mole on my side and immediatly wants a biopsy done, so i go tuesday to have it removed. what a shocker that was. now to wait for that news. what a day. hope yours was good.

Well....Dang it girl..pay that 3 G !!!!!!!!!!!!! You may as well go for it all !!!! You will look so good !!! I will come by and help ya out post op and with your son while you are recouping !!! Now when I lost by 100lbs and had my tummy tuck in 2002,I had the extended with some side and thigh lipo. I had to pay all out of pocket. It was about 11G...so 3G is a steal !!!!! (After that my daughter's college fund was shot but my tummy and thighs sure looked good !!!! ) Big Hugs and I am routing for you to get the FUll TT, Dana

Shelly, Call me stupid, but here'smy question: What do they do when they just do the panni? I'm just post op no teven three weeks so I haven't researched it or anything, but Iknow I'll need both breast and abdominal work done. Go for it! A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! Also good luck with the mole....here's hoping it's nothing more then a memory! Kirsten

Ok I'm educated now. Shelly go for the whole thing!!!! Kirsten

. WHAT?!?! Why in hells name is your plastic surgeon ONLY submitting for the PANNI removal??? Tricare Prime (and standard) does, do and have paid for FULL tummy tucks with muscle tightening. You've sent me your photos, your stomach is VERY similar to mine right before the tummy tuck. I had NO problems getting Tricare to APPROVE the complete surgery. Sorry, sounds to me like this doctor is trying to make some extra outta' pocket cash for something that SHOULD be covered by your insurance company. Who knows, maybe what TriCare actually pays out does NOT equal the 3 grand he's trying to make. I dunno - I probably shouldnt be making such broad assumptions about the doctor (isnt this Merrells partner, in Chesapeake?) but I guarantee you I would NOT settle for just a PANNI! Tell me he is NOT submitting paperwork for ONLY a panni? Why would he even just assume you're going to be denied? Makes NO freakn sense - get vocal and demand some answers and or demand that they submit it the way YOU THE PATIENT want it submitted, for a FULL tummy tuck with muscle repair. Ive seen just PANNI removals vs the full muscle work and it's like night and day. Good luck to you - get vocal!! Lei

now that i think about it, duh, it is about the money, im not financially educated and know sqwat about insurance things, but he was telling me that 10 years ago just a panni was say 5000, he would only get 10% of that, and so on, im gonna call them, but now im scared that they might not mess with me at all if i do call and want the full tummy thing submitted. i think he still thinks im too heavy. im 170, 5'6 and if not for my belly can wear size 6!! ive got a headache now. thanks lei.

...not sure if you're thanking me for the advice or the HEADACHE? hehehe! Good luck to you - at 170 lbs you're in GREAT form/shape to be having the surgery. What the heck does he want you to lose, an arm, a leg? Cause your body is already at GOAL, so there is no more WEIGHT to lose, it just needs the excess skin removed!!

well im thankin ya for the advice silly lady!!!

Hi Shelly--- First of all--how the heck did you get deferred out? Do you have Tricare Standard or Prime? Last year I had some Plastics done with Dr Merrell--(breast lift/augmentation and brachiaplasty totally out of my pocket)-then had a revision done by Dr Billet (his partner in Chesapeake). Actually am having him do more revison work in office his week (revision is on flanks on both sides) nothing major, but I want it done before summer and tank top weather. I had a consultation with him regarding my tummy---he just wanted to do panni. I have lost 310 pounds---and having seen Leigh's wonderful results--I questioned him on this. He basically said recovery was more difficult etc. and he didn't see why I would not get a good result. I don't have a rocket science degree but I TOTALLY disagree. I didn't argue the point with him as he seemed very adamant with his opinion. I KNOW I need the "whole enchilada". I wondered if perhaps he just hasn't done many anchor incisions on patients--or perhaps he just didn't have much experience with patients with that large amount of weight loss. To be honest at that point I didn't even care what his reasoning was. I just totally dismissed the idea of having him perform my tt. I made a decision after alot of praying, research and talking with some former patients---to have my surgery done at Portsmouth Naval by Dr Hersh. The road that led to this surgery is a long one, but everything about it has just fallen perfectly into line ----so I have no doubt it is the right decision for me. I am now on a waiting list. At my consultation with him----his first reaction after seeing my tummy was to tell me I needed anchor incision along with tightening etc. I know the surgery will be done the way it should and also he's wanting to do more surgery to "sculpt" this deflated ballon of a body. At age 53, however I have decided this will be the last surgery i want to have. I must also add that I did not choose this road because of money, though the surgery will be much less costly than civilian dr. I really liked Dr Hersh and others have had great results with him. We all have to find the right path for ourselves. I do hope you follow the advice Leigh gave you----she certainly knows her way around the Tricare world and has gotten stupendous results with all of her surgeries. Best of Luck with this part of your weight loss journey. Angel on your shoulder Cindy