Tricare/ doctor issues

Cassandra - posted on 07/26/2012

Hello! my name is cassandra and my husband is leaving for the military in october we are very excited but before he leaves we are trying to decide on a tricare benefits. we are unsure and confused we have four children and we want to find thed best tricare for our family is there any one who can give their opinon on which tricare should be used.
thank you so much for your opinons.
have a wonderful day!

Suzette - posted on 04/02/2010

Amy, before you do that have your husband talk to his command about this. They don't want him worried while he's gone anymore than you do, first of all, and it's also part of their job to make sure that their soldier's families are taken care of. You can also contact the tricare patient advocate and let them know that a different doctor, who is not your doctor, contacted you and tell them what they said. See what they tell you. Keep pushing until you get a referral to an off post doctor a different doctor.

Amy - posted on 03/31/2010

ok thanks anna i will tell him to do that. and a dr finally called it wasnt my dr but sill a base dr. He said the reason i dont need a pap or copal(sp) done is because i just have low grade cells so they are not worried about it!!! well im glad they dont give a rats ass! sorry for droppin the a bomb but im sure being military wives youve heard it before lol does anyone know if i can just go to an off base dr and get it done myself? i know tricare only covers with a referral so i would have to pay.

Anna - posted on 03/31/2010

I haven't read any other replies to see what others have said to do but my husband said you need to have your husband talk to his command about this. There is no reason your doctor should be behaving like this expecially with something that you may be dealing with. He said if you could try another doctor within the same facility and if you get the same anwser his command needs to get involved.

Becky - posted on 03/30/2010

I had abnormal paps from the time I was 18 until about 24-25. I saw Tricare Dr's the ENTIRE time and had pap's done every 4 months throughout those years, plus other tests and Colpo's. Never once did the Dr's argue with me about my very valid concerns and everything was done to make sure that I was ok. Turns out that everything was fine and have not had an abnormal pap in 3-4 years. Overall, I have been satisfied with Tricare, but I think the care you get has a lot to do with where you are seen. San Diego was excellent, Pensacola-some departments/dr's are good, others could use some work. You can always request to change providers, or just schedule an appoinment with another one.

Carie - posted on 03/29/2010

You need to report both issues to the patient advocates. Not sure what branch of the service you're dealing with, but in the AF they have them at every clinic. I have used them int he past and have gotten answers for everything I needed.

Catherine - posted on 03/29/2010

I was active duty when I had an abnormal pap after my daughter, I was 25 and I had to get them "lasered off" You need to get a colposcopy (which is a biopsy). Now I am a dependent. All you have to do is tell the OB clinic that you want to be reffered out in town. Don't give it up. You tell them you will go to everyone and anyone that you can think of, the command OIC, your husbands congressman etc. If they think that they are going to have a congressional investigation they will help you! I have had many problems over the years with Tricare, but if you yell at them and ask for supervisors, you get more done sadly. Wish you luck, I know that being young and away from home and then the stupid doctor tell you something that may or may not be true is hard, hang in there...

Amy - posted on 03/29/2010

wow that is scarry kim i hope everything is ok now! we are in the US and i have to take my daughter for her 6 month well baby today so im gunna pop right in there and see him. ive never had the same dr more than one visit lol. i had never even met the man who delivered my baby. and havnt seen him again since i was done lol i dont even know his name and i asked the other day what the name was and she told me a name but i know it wasnt her that delivered so obviously they dont even know lol. im going to get the pap done i dont care if i have to pay 100 dollars i want it done and its pissing me off how they are doing it. like i said i have noone here and the hubby leaves monday for deployment so i want to know something before he leaves

Kim - posted on 03/29/2010

You can go off base and find a doctor there if you are stationed in the US. You pay about $12 for a doctor visit and then rest is picked up by Tricare. I had abnormal cells after I had my first daughter and between having the pap done and being called back in the space of 3 weeks they had gone from mildly abnormal to Stage 4 carcinoma in-situ, so don't leave it. I ended up having a biopsy, cryosurgery and pap smears every 3 months for the next two years. At one stage they wanted to give me a hysterectomy. Don't just sit back and take the bs that they tell you on the base hospital - go out and get a doctor on the economy and have the test done. For the sake of $12 co-pay, its not even worth going through all the hassle for - you have a baby to think of, and the longer you leave it the more chance you have for everything to get worse, so please think of yourself and your child, and go and get it done.

Amy - posted on 03/28/2010

thank you suzette. my dr is calling monday or tuesday and is supose to either do the test or refer me to an outside dr. the dr i was denied from was not my pcm it was some other lady

Suzette - posted on 03/28/2010

Corinne, I agree, I don't know why she can't change over. I've heard of lots of people that have, though I haven't tried it myself before. Maybe they changed the rules or something? (No idea, I'm kinda new to the whole tricare thing myself.)



Amy, I'm so sorry! Your family kinda sounds like mine right now, with the distance factor and the health factor. :( I really hope things work out for you! I wish I could be of more help on the tricare factor.

Amy - posted on 03/28/2010

im still working on getting everything worked out. and no there isnt anyone who can come here. my dad is disabled and my mother has to care for him, my older brother fell off a roof and broke his back, my other brother and sister in law can barely manage their bills and couldnt take off work and my sister is in college back home and is playing on a nationally ranked softball team for them so i could never even ask her to give any of it up. i have a few friends here but they are all so busy with new orders and moving and having children of their own lol

Corinne - posted on 03/28/2010

i still think its a load of bologna that you cant change to an off base doctor if youre stateside!! i know when we were overseas and haddd to use the clinic most times i could call and get whatever doctor i wanted if they ask you who your pcm just lie and say its someone else!? there has to be a way to get around this! id try to contact someone at tricare thats not at that particular office!?

Suzette - posted on 03/28/2010

Is there a friend who can come and stay with you for a while after your husband leaves, just in case it is something semi-serious? You are in my thoughts that things are okay, but for that "just in case" is there a family member or someone who can come stay with you for a little while after he leaves?

Amy - posted on 03/28/2010

thank you ladies. i have been told about that procedure by my old ob but they refused to do anything because i was not yet 21. but i have a call into my actual pcm and he has until tuesday and if he doesnt call im going in there to complain lol. because my husband leaves next week and he doesnt want to have me find out alone if its extremely serious because i love over 17 hours away from any family and friends lol

Suzette - posted on 03/27/2010

Amy, glad to hear that you got it taken care of with Tricare and you're on your way to getting another pap! I hope everything works out for the best for you!!!! :) Sometimes the docs we wind up with aren't the best. At least we have a system where we can report them and hopefully she'll get taken care of in the investigation. Good luck!

Michelle - posted on 03/27/2010

Wow...that's horrible the comments these professionals are saying. I would report it also. I think Tricare is slow about some of the times I needed about referrals, etc. The two PCM's I have seen never ask me about my medical history or actually do a through physical - I worry about them missing things that could turn into long term issues. We are lucky to live in an area where we can select US FAmily Health and have our daughter on it and get to see a doctor off base!!! I could go on it but my ob is not on it!

Amanda - posted on 03/27/2010

Hi Amy,
Your story is identical to mine. After they placed the Mirena, the military docs would have me come in every 6 months for another pap and colposcopy. I did this for 3 years to make sure the cells didn't turn cancerous. I recently had another pap and everything came back normal. Some docs say that pregnancy can change all aspects of your body. Has your doc suggested the procedure above?

Amy - posted on 03/26/2010

thanks for everyones input. i called tricare and talked to them and they told me they wouldnt change my dr because i would have to go to the same office since its on base and there are only a few drs. so she told me to have my regular pcm who should have been doing it but was sick, she said he can refer me off base to someone. and she did say that i can have one 6 months after my last one not a year after like the dr said. i did report her and they are investigating her anyway so i just added to all her problems lol. they said she does that alot and doesnt exlain it. no offense to anyone but she was chinese and cant talk very much english so i dont think she should be alowed to be a dr for someone who doesnt understand chinese. most of the words were in chinese or just really bad english lol. again thank you all

Karin - posted on 03/26/2010

Ive had the exact same thing. Except it was discovered in october of 2007. I got pregnant in december of 07. Ive gotten multiple biopsies and leep procedures since then finally i had one done about a year ago and when i went back they said the cells were abnormal. But it was normal and im now cancer free. After i got married and moved to post i told my new tricare doctor about it. I told her i had a previous history of cervical cancer and i just wanted to make sure it hadnt come back. HPV testing in tricare isnt covered for some reason(looked in the handbook) and i think its rediculous it isnt. But after i explained my history to her she did it and a normal pap smear as well. She had no complaints about the extra tests and said it was very common. If you have history of hpv or cervical cancer you are supposed to get tested every six months or more often depending on your situation/doctors recommendation to make sure it hasnt gotten worse or come back. I was real happy with my doctor here because my last obgyn were mean because i was a young single mother at the time.

I would call tricare or go to the hospital and have or request to change your pcm. It is possible i think you may have to file a claim or complaint but im not totally sure of the procedures. And if you have a another problem with a diff doc you can get referred to a place off post too. But good luck!

Jessica - posted on 03/26/2010

you could call tricare and asked to change your doctor but it doesnt all way work. for the abnorm pap i would get to upset or it for fact it usally happens during pregnancy as i was told by my ob. When they found out you had an abnorm pap a specail type of pap should have been done to see how many cells where abnorm and a sample shld of been taking. This is what i had done anyways. im sure what pill you are talking bout taking for it but i also know another method can be used. and for your doc telling you it was watse of money get the mirena that is none of her business if your hubby there or not she just needs to do her job.

C. - posted on 03/26/2010

I don't know, Amy.. I agree with you. If it is cancer, you would want to catch it as soon as possible. You never know what could happen in a year. Honestly, I think she had no basis to really tell you that you couldn't have another Pap done, other than the fact that she's über-concerned about how much TRICARE is shelling out for doctor's visits, and even then it's none of her business. She is a doctor, not a TRICARE Rep. Definitely do call and report her behind. Good luck to you! I hope everything works out well!

Amy - posted on 03/25/2010

very good point :) thank you

Corinne - posted on 03/25/2010

ugh i cant stand ppl like that! just have to shrug ppl like that off! no use in getting worked up about it! as our parents so eliquently put it...when we were growing up we sat on laps in the car, not everyone had strollers, played outside in dirt and mud, and played with sticks and rocks and turned out just fine!!! :)

Amy - posted on 03/25/2010

ok thank you corinne i will deffinatly look up what doctors i can go to. im goingto base doctors now and they suck! my pedi told my husband and i that we were bad parents because we have a drop top crib not the kind that the whole thing goes down but the ones where the top like 6 inches goes down. we dont even use it and once she is big enough we will probably just buy a new one all together. and he said we were bad parents because we sat her in her carseat and didnt strap her in to litterally go 20 feet to get her shots! i was so mad and hurt at the same time

Corinne - posted on 03/25/2010

if youre already dealing with a dct on the economy..chances are she just doesnt want to deal with tricare herself! most offices wont carry tricare bc it truely is a pain in the ...BUTT!!! at the same time...you tend to get dcts that either are new to tricare or only have 2-3 patience that carry it...therefore they are very unfamiliar with the way tricare works! the dct i had with my pregnancy only had 2 patience with tricare and she was CLUELESS! i was always having to contact tricare and then relay the message to the dcts office! best chances are to ask for a list of new dcts from tricare or look it up online...then when calling the dcts office...ask them how experienced they are with it!

Amy - posted on 03/25/2010

ok thank you ladies im deffinatly reporting her. i dont understand why she wont do it. i even said i would pay lol and she said no you cant get it done till november of 2010. ok well in my mind if it is cancer it will get worse in that year. that is why i wanted to get it done sooner. arg they make me mad. and Corinne that sounds like no fun at all and mirena is a type of birth control that is like sewin in and it stays for 5 years. i could understand going off the pill or the shot while hes gone but if it truely is 1000 why in the world i want to pay to take it out then put back in thats just crazy. thank you all for the advice.

Kristi - posted on 03/25/2010

Sadly I have come into contact with many dr's like this in the Tricare system, they are EVERYWHERE. Just tell them to shut their mouth and mind their own buisness.



About the cell's you can contact the Tricare office and try to get special aproval for a second pap in a year.

Suzette - posted on 03/25/2010

I agree that you should report her. I've reported a nurse in my doc's office for some stuff she said as well as an ER nurse for some things that he said when my husband had to go in. It's not professional for them to inject their "opinions" unless it's a medical opinion. And even then, they have no right to be rude to you, it's unprofessional conduct. ;)
As far as denying you that, you also should call Tricare and talk to a rep there. They'll be able to point you in the right direction.

C. - posted on 03/25/2010

That's ridiculous! I would report her. It's none of her da** business what type of BC you use.. It's YOUR decision! And I also think it's ridiculous that they told you that you couldn't have the test done b/c you weren't 21 and then came back after you turned 21 and they still told you that they couldn't do it. Yeah, I would definitely call and report her. And, you can leave the Mirena in when you don't have sex, right? So what the heck is this woman's problem? Your hubby's only going to be gone for 6 months! It's not like he'll be gone for a year or more while you have the Mirena in! Therefore it's not a waste of money.. Ugh, people like that really irk me. Call and complain and hopefully this lady will be dealt with accordingly and while you're at it, I would go ahead and switch your doctor. They should understand your reasons, so it shouldn't be a problem. Good luck! And I hope that whenever they do the test on you that it comes back fine!

Corinne - posted on 03/25/2010

im not sure what mirena is so i cant help you there! id call tricare and ask what to do! i had an abnormal pap when i was stationed overseas and had to be referred to a doctor on the economy in which he did his own pap smear and then a biopsy! im sure there is someway that they can give you a referral to get another one or something? theres a chance you might be able to switch your doctor all together...go on the economy and see what they tell you!



i know tricare can be a pain in the ^&$%%^*%^&*$^#$%#$ most times to deal with BUTTT more times than not they cover things that you would never think possible! it just requires you to jump through about a thousand hoops and fill out a million pieces of paper over and over again! i think in this instance its worth the hassel!



i do happen to have two stories dealing with tricare...first off when i was overseas (belgium) i herniated a disc in my back and had to keep going back to the base doctor over and over again and nothing was working! since (at the time) i was only 23 or 24...finally, after 3 or 4 visits, the doctor actually flat out said "we have so many protocols that we HAVE to go through for everything..in the case of back pain it goes (told me the protocol). since youre so young there is absolutely nothing that i can do! if you are really in that much pain...go to the ER!" ...sure enough...few days later i was in a ton of pain and went to the ER on the economy and got my answer!



following that story..after i got pregnant about 2 years later...i informed my doctor (on the first appt) of the back situation and she wrote me a referral to see a physical therapist during my pregnancy so that my back wouldnt get worse! i fought with tricare and my doctors office for 6 months to get it approved even though i had already called tricare and they informed me that they did cover it! now in my case...since i was already 7 months pregnant..i gave up fighting with everyone and just let it go!



i dont suggest that for you of course but be forewarned! i wish you good luck and i pray that everything works out and QUICKLY! sorry that my post was so long!