Such good advice! Also, anyone with Tricare-read this.

Thank you so much to OH members for answering questions for me. I wrote that I was self pay and my doc didn't have Blis insurance.The response was to call my insurance company and question them. Well, turns out they will pay for any complications regardless of if they pay for the surgery. And the best best best part-even though they don't cover the sleeve right now (I have Tricare and since Medicare just started paying for sleeve, Tricare probably eventually will, but don't yet), they told my husband to submit anyway and if the doc writes a good letter about why this is the best surgery for me, they may cover it!!!! Thank you again for responding to my questions and giving me such great advice!

Tricare covers VSG at a MTF, just not yet at a civilian hospital.

Christinet, Have you tried going to a military facility for the WLS?  I am Tricare Prime and I had my surgery done at the Naval Medical Center at Portsmouth.  They did a good job and I had the sleeve done.  LOL, I went into the Bariatric Clinic Orientation with the plans of having the lapband done.  It took a couple of years for me to get the surgery done because I had several orthopedic surgeries that needed to be done first.  Keep plugging away at the insurance company, they do change their policies and you can write a letter of medical necessity along with the surgeon's letter and other doctors' letters.  Sometimes you need to spotlight the medical conditions you have and how obesity complicates the the situation.  How wls can improve health and the quality of life and eliminate diabetes, hypertension, and other medical conditions.  I have asthma and occasionaly I have to be placed on steriods for treatment of the asthma.  The sleeve is the only wls that allows a person to be able to take certain medications that the other surgeries will restrict usage of them.  Good luck and God bless.  Will be keeping you and yours in prayers. 
Diana aka CajunCuz