TRICARE Prime/TRIWEST Question

Hello everybody, Maybe some of you (Military) can help answer a few questions I have about my TRICARE/TRIWEST Prime approval. I was approved to have the Gastric Bypass at Madigan Army Hospital and I have my consult appointment on the 22nd of January, unfortunately my husband will leave for Iraq sooner then expected and I do not have any family in the US that could stay with me for awhile. Now here are my questions: How long is the approval letter good for? (a year, six months etc.) Can the surgeon at Madigan "extend" the approval? Did anybody ever have to apply for a second approval letter with TRICARE/TRIWEST Prime? Did it go through without any trouble? Thank you so much for your help and time! Best wishes, Sandy PS: I will post the same message on the Army Forum, just incase.

I had a consult on Friday but I'm going for Lap Band and they don't provide that at Madigan. Just talking to the Dr. it sounds like it takes at least 4 months to even get to the surgery part. You are scheduled for many tests and classes along the way. I'm sure you would be able to drag your heels a bit and I would think they would try to schedule you accordingly if you told them you had no support at home.

Hi Sandy, First my doctor put in a refferal that was approved 2 years ago but then I decided to give the old fashion way another try so I didn't do anything with it. Then last year in August I decided that I was ready to do WLS and had my doctor put in another referal with no problems. So yes you can get another referal if you need it. I just had my WLS done at Madigan on December 15, 2006. I'm not sure how long your intial referal is good for but I know that once you complete the classes that Madigan requires (they call it the Pathway) you have to have your surgery with in 6 months or you have to complete the classes again. I think that you can take as long as you want to complete the classes. Most of the people that you will meet while doing them are in a hurry to get them done and try to complete them in 1 or 2 months. You could space out your classes so that they take you like 6 months to do and then you would still have 6 more months to have your surgery. That would give you a year total. Hope this helps you. :-) Beth

Hi Sandy- There is an awseome support group you can attend at madigan on Thursdays from 5 til 6:30 to ask all the questions you want. There are a bunch of classes and appointments you have to do so I would get started. I had surgery 4 months ago and my husband wasnt here for it. Good luck-Shelby

I just got my approval on friday and my surgery is on Jan.26th. Mine is only good until the 2nd of Feb. If that is any help..good luck.