Question:
Abdominoplasty? Specifically TriCare Europe

I am located in Germany and am wondering if anyone has had any experience with TriCare Europe when it comes to plastic surgery. I desperately need the abdominoplasty, and will be seeing my doc later this week, but I'm just concerned. TriCare Europe turned me down for the gastric bypass, and I had to disenroll, fly back to the States, and enroll in TriWest who approved me on the first try. I REALLY don't want to go through all that again. I'm just looking for any personal experience with TriCare Europe and any tips you might have for dealing with them. THANKS!!    — Jennifer H. (posted on February 9, 2004)

February 9, 2004
i was stationed in the kaiserslautern area. best thing you can do is NEVER EVER say the word plastic when you go to your appointment.....it is reconstructive. you can go to the tricare website and print out the page on reconstructive surgery and take it to your appointment with you. in that printout it has a new section on people who have had wls. it is very important to take this with you to your appointment to make sure your referal is worded correctly. even if you quailfy for a surgery it can be denied just because of the wording. i have know several people who have had wls in germany , so i am thinking this is what happened to you when you tired to have wls done there. the doctors are there to treat us not to know the in's and out's of tricare. believe it or not the guidelines in tricare change almost week to week. at the bottom of each page it will let you know when the last tricare update was. i think the site is www.tricare.org
   — franbvan