I am a military spouse and am looking into gastric bypass surgery...?

Question

I want to know if the military will pay for this? (I have tricare) Also how do I get the process started??? Do I just go to my PCM....and what would I make the apt. for?

Answer 1

Yes they will.  You need to make an appointment with your primary care physician to get a referral to surgery.  They will give you that and then you will need to make an appointment with the surgery department.  You will see a doctor there and start the process.  It may take a while depending on where you are, some area's have waiting lists.  Good luck!

Answer 2

The army will cover this.  Either go to your local medical activity or to your Tricare physician to get the ball rolling.

Answer 3

Yes, you have time. YES, tricare covers the surgery.  I mine done last year. From my first visit to my PCM to get a referral to the Baratric surgeon to the day of my surgery took 30 days. That's it. One month. However, our base has bariatric surgeons here at our MTF. Not all MTF's do the surgery. First, youneed to make an appt with your PCM and ask for a referral to see a Bariatric Surgeon. If your MTF has a surgeon at your MTF, this can take up to one week. If you have to see an off-base surgeon, Tricare must apporve the referral first and that can take up to 30 days. Once you see a Bariatric Surgeon, he will eveluate you. He will ask you many questions..how long have you been trying to lose weight? How much weight have you lost each time you have diet, how long have you stayed with each diet? Remember you must be at least 100lbs overweight with a BMI of at least 40 to even talk to a surgeon at all. I was NOT under a doctor's care for weight lose for a year prior to surgery. All my surgeon required was a list of every diet I had been on , how long I was on it and how much weight I lost with each diet. That's it. Then you must see a nutritionist, who will go over with you the diet involved with the surgery and teach you how you must eat for the rest of your life. Sometimes they require you to see a psychologist as well. I didn't have to see a psychologist. If you have a surgeon, nutritionist, and psychologist available at your MTF, it should move along fairly quickly. If you go off-base, it could take much longer. Our MTF has two bariatric surgeons and the waiting list is very short.

If you have questions, please e-mail me at [e-mail].

I had Gastric Bypass surgery in late Oct 2007. I've lost 120 lbs in 9 1/2 months. 40 more to go to goal weight. It's not been easy and it's not been fun. But I can run, I can play with my son. I can LIVE for the first time in a long time. I don't have to worry abotu heart attacks, strokes. I know I will live to see my  

Answer 4

yes, go to your PCM (make the appointment for a gastric bypass referral) and he will make the referral if he finds you should get the surgery

Answer 5

Yes they pay for Gastric... they also just started paying for the lapband also, there are a few requirements you have to meet, so go talk to you PCM and find out what they are.

Answer 6

My Spouse had this done and cost us nothing.  Tri-Care took care of it.  Think it was Tri-Care Prime.

Answer 7

Tricare does pay for gastric bypass.  Start with your PCM and that will get it started.

There is a website that can give you information on surgeons in your area and also it is a support system.  WWW.Obesityhelp.com

Good Luck

Answer 8

I would start by visiting the health & wellness center on base/post and meet with their staff to get a well planned diet and exercise routine....take advantage of the free cardio/exercise classes offered in most military gyms...

If you work hard with the above options, you should see good results.....not drastic, but steady and consistent.  If after a few months it is not working, then go to the Doc to try to get a referral.  I would imagine that if the Doc sees a record of you doing all that you can to loose weight on your own, and it is not working fast enough...then he/she may refer you for the procedure.

Answer 9

NO. TRICARE does not cover it.  

SOMETIMES the hospital covers it to keep their surgeons in practice.  it is a long process, you must be actively trying for 12 months to lose weight before you can be referred.  you must also undergo a Psych eval and then, if accepted, you go on the waiting list.. since only a few hospitals do the procedure, the waiting list is usually 2 years long or more.  so you are easily looking at a minimum of 3 years before the  surgery is even a possibility.  you must meet the very rigid qualifications: 100 pounds or more overweight, or several co morbidity factors.  

yes you start with your PCM, but again, you must try for at least a year under doctor's supervision to lose the weight before you can even begin the process.