TriCare - Help needed to protect our benefits for WLS
Hi all,
I have been approached by a local television station to discuss my weight loss surgery, more specifically, that it was paid for by Tricare.
Evidently, there are some taxpayer watchdog groups that are going after Tricare for using tax dollars to pay for weight loss surgeries.
The word is that Tricare has spent over three hundred and sixty million dollars paying for weight loss surgeries for military families during the last 10 years.
It is also being claimed that Tricare not only pays for the weight loss surgery, but for tummy tucks and breast lifts after the weight has been lost...
Now those of us who are TriCare know this is not true, but I need your help in putting together the “proof” needed to present the truth. Here is what I’m asking for:
1). Please send me your responses with regard to why TriCare should continue to spend taxpayer dollars to pay for weight loss surgeries for our military families. Or, if you don’t think taxpayer dollars should be used, please provide those thoughts as well.
In my case, my husband served this country for 28 years, twice in combat, and we have, numerous times, uprooted our family to begin life anew wherever and whenever we were ordered to.
As a result of always having to basically start over with every new military assignment that came every three years for the most part, it did put us behind the power curve financially.
My husband also did not earn the same lucrative salary as his civilian counterparts, nor did I as I was also forced to change jobs and begin all over again with each move, so I view my TriCare insurance coverage as an earned benefit and not a taxpayer handout...
2). Please provide me with any information you may have on what TriCare does pay for after weight loss surgery. If it pays for breast lifts, under what cir****tances? If it pays for tummy tucks, under what cir****tances? Please provide me weblinks to go to for substantiation.
3). Please tell me about medications you were taking and no longer have to take, surgeries that were going to be necessary but no longer are, as a result of your weight loss.
In other words, the case needs to be made for how spending tax dollars for weight loss surgery actually saves tax dollars...
I have to tell you that I am not relishing doing this interview as I am a relatively shy individual; however, I feel this is so important that I am going to do it; however, I need your support and input by Thursday as the interview is on Friday
Thanking both my military and weight loss family for your invaluable help with this...
DEB
I have been approached by a local television station to discuss my weight loss surgery, more specifically, that it was paid for by Tricare.
Evidently, there are some taxpayer watchdog groups that are going after Tricare for using tax dollars to pay for weight loss surgeries.
The word is that Tricare has spent over three hundred and sixty million dollars paying for weight loss surgeries for military families during the last 10 years.
It is also being claimed that Tricare not only pays for the weight loss surgery, but for tummy tucks and breast lifts after the weight has been lost...
Now those of us who are TriCare know this is not true, but I need your help in putting together the “proof” needed to present the truth. Here is what I’m asking for:
1). Please send me your responses with regard to why TriCare should continue to spend taxpayer dollars to pay for weight loss surgeries for our military families. Or, if you don’t think taxpayer dollars should be used, please provide those thoughts as well.
In my case, my husband served this country for 28 years, twice in combat, and we have, numerous times, uprooted our family to begin life anew wherever and whenever we were ordered to.
As a result of always having to basically start over with every new military assignment that came every three years for the most part, it did put us behind the power curve financially.
My husband also did not earn the same lucrative salary as his civilian counterparts, nor did I as I was also forced to change jobs and begin all over again with each move, so I view my TriCare insurance coverage as an earned benefit and not a taxpayer handout...
2). Please provide me with any information you may have on what TriCare does pay for after weight loss surgery. If it pays for breast lifts, under what cir****tances? If it pays for tummy tucks, under what cir****tances? Please provide me weblinks to go to for substantiation.
3). Please tell me about medications you were taking and no longer have to take, surgeries that were going to be necessary but no longer are, as a result of your weight loss.
In other words, the case needs to be made for how spending tax dollars for weight loss surgery actually saves tax dollars...
I have to tell you that I am not relishing doing this interview as I am a relatively shy individual; however, I feel this is so important that I am going to do it; however, I need your support and input by Thursday as the interview is on Friday
Thanking both my military and weight loss family for your invaluable help with this...
DEB
Actually, I know TWO people with Tricare who got tummy tucks instead of just panniculectomies, and neither of them even had hernias. I don't mind my tax dollars assisting with coverage for WLS, but I DO mind paying for both MY tummy tuck and other people's as well...
Lora
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
I am another person who had WLS through Tricare. I think from my understanding Tricare is one of the easiest insurances to get approved through WLS. I do have to say when I found out I was approved for WLS I was really upset because they would not cover our IVF (In-vitro fertilization). I couldnt believe that I could have weight loss with just being overweight with no co-moborities, but because my husband help clean up a necular reactor site in 99 in Japan and lost all his swimmers, they still wouldnt pay for all our infertility treatments.
I do believe that the process could be a little harder, and maybe some supervised diet involved. But I agree that our benefits after 13 years is basically our medical. My husband makes next to nothing, heck after 13 years we qualify for WIC, which is pretty sad. My husband is now on his 3rd combat deployment, but his 6th time deployed. I think using tax dollars, (even medicare pay for WLS) is OK. But whoever is complaing about our tax dollars are those who probably think our men and women in uniform get paid to much as it is. I do have to say if people are getting tummy tucks without a medical need from tricare is not right. My surgeon, who is at a MTF will only recommend tricare cover those after 2 years of surgery, and if there is a problem with blisters or so on. I think Tricare should be thought about as an insurance company, not tax dollars. Other insurance companies cover WLS so why the scrutiny on Tricare?
I do believe that the process could be a little harder, and maybe some supervised diet involved. But I agree that our benefits after 13 years is basically our medical. My husband makes next to nothing, heck after 13 years we qualify for WIC, which is pretty sad. My husband is now on his 3rd combat deployment, but his 6th time deployed. I think using tax dollars, (even medicare pay for WLS) is OK. But whoever is complaing about our tax dollars are those who probably think our men and women in uniform get paid to much as it is. I do have to say if people are getting tummy tucks without a medical need from tricare is not right. My surgeon, who is at a MTF will only recommend tricare cover those after 2 years of surgery, and if there is a problem with blisters or so on. I think Tricare should be thought about as an insurance company, not tax dollars. Other insurance companies cover WLS so why the scrutiny on Tricare?
lucky, perhaps because mine was a revision from lap to rny? I dunno, but I'm in a different region and believe me, I was not happy when I got my list of requirements from Tricare for approval. My surgeons list was even longer than Tricare's but it was still 6 months diet/exercise
oh well, it did me good, it was worth the wait.
In order to get the tummy tuck or breast lift you have to have a medical casue. i.e. infection caused by the creases. There are different benifits overseas, which is worth looking into. I have attached two links to tricare that covers what is covered for WLS and what is covered for reconstructive surgery.
http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/jsp/Medical/IsItCovered.do?kw=Obesity+Treatment
http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/jsp/Medical/IsItCovered.do?kw=Reconstructive+Surgery&topic=Women
http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/jsp/Medical/IsItCovered.do?kw=Obesity+Treatment
http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/jsp/Medical/IsItCovered.do?kw=Reconstructive+Surgery&topic=Women
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