Question:
Has anyone been approved by TRICARE/Champus?how long did it take?any problems?

Anyone had an MGB (mini gastric bypass) by Dr.Robert Rutledge of Durham,NC? (web site: http://clos.net) Any comments?good?bad?indeference?    — terry kaye R. (posted on January 13, 2000)

January 13, 2000
Tery, Come join us on the web-site we have bunches of fun and there are pre- and post ops on the site. Have you checked out the website ? There is enough info there to keep you busy for awhile and Dr R adds the good bad and ugly to his site, not just the good. I have been waiting for almost a year and now I am going to be setting up my surgery date. I am coming all the way from ND to have Dr R do the surgery if that says anything about him as a Dr!!!!:) PAige
   — Paige W.

January 13, 2000
Hi -- I know of some people that have gone through Tricare then central TX area. I saw Dr. Rutledge a couple of years ago when I was having a bout of gastritis (I had RNY GB in 1987, Dr. Kenneth Warnock) and found him to be a very high touch, patient dr. He gets close to his patients, not distant like some surgeons. The other patients of his that I met loved him to pieces.
   — Margie V.

January 14, 2000
Hi, I have Tricare and had no problem getting approval. I had verbal approval the same day and written approval within three weeks. Several people have gotten approval even faster than that. From what I understand that is the case for all of Tricare regions. You have to be at least 100 pounds overweight, from what I have been told. Contact me if I can help any further. Good Luck
   — Julie M.