Need info asap on Champus/ Tricare?

Ok, I know it was Champus when i was young but anyways, my son is military and he is going to be allowed to add me as dependent because of my medical situation. Can anyone tell me what the process is like with Champus or is it Tricare now? I know they will cover it if medically neccesary. I don't really know much and my son don't fully know the details. We are doing the paperwork and I can't stop crying cause I have prayed so long! Can anyone help? Thanks!

My advice would be to go to the Tricare Office at Madigan.  Fill out the paperwork and you can see someone right them to finish up the enrollment.  It's not painful. 

Good luck!

They said he has to do it cause they have to show cause to add me as a dependent. He has the paperwork and is working on it. What can you tell me about the process for surgery?

The surgery process with Tricare is as follows:

You need to get a Primary care physician.
He needs to write a referral for the surgery....either civillian or Madigan
If you go with Madigan, after your referral is accepted, you will be called to attend the first class/ orientation type thing...it lasts a few hours.
Then you wait about 3-6 months to begin their pathways classes....those take from 2-6 months to complete...from what I am told.
Then you meet with Meg (the surgical scheduler and bariatric nurse...I believe) and she puts in for an appt. with the psychologist and surgeon. (I believe that is how it works)...
Then you get a date (could be another few months to get the psychological report back to Meg and to get your surgery date...from what I am told).
If you go the civillian route, your Primary care physician will write the referral to a surgeon who accepts Tricare (do your homework on what type of surgery and what doctor preforms it, and that he is contracted with Tricare....Dr. Thirlby is not, Dr. Oh only takes one Tricare patient per month and Dr. Skirkantyh (Sp???) does not take Tricare. Just fyi....
Then you meet with that surgeon for your consultation, and will probably need to attend his seminar first.
Then you follow the requirements that your selected surgeon asks.

Tricare requires you to be 100% over your desired weight with co-morbidities and 200% over without any comorbidities. This is based on the Metropolitian Life charts.

I have gone the civillian route for my prior surgery. (VBG) but am seeking a revision at Madigan....I am only in the beginning phase of the Madigan part, so my info. above could not be totally accurate, but pretty close.

Good luck, and congratulations that your son gets to add you to his Tricare!!!

Thanks! Yea I am pretty excited about it! Will likely go the civilian route if that is available. I have co morbids and am 390. I am going to Dr. Oh's seminar but there is a Dr. in Bellevue I want to check out. I don't have a PCP here yet. I am sure I will not have any trouble getting referral as I was turned down by Cigna 2x in 2007 when I was working and have had new health issues now arise. My sister had the surgery and lose like 175 lbs. I have not met a single Dr that hasn't reccomended it. Even my dentist asked me about it. I am so lucky to have a son who knows how important this is for me. Thanks so much for the info. I appreciate it!

Do you really get to chose where to go cause when I was growing up you had to go where they said to go. There were no real choices if you lived close to a military hospital. We went to everything at Oak Knoll. Now that is closed but... this is new to me to be able to chose.

You may want to make sure that the surgeons you are looking into take TriCare... some don't.

Helen

I will. I  have to get added on before the magic can really happen anyways. :)