Keloids and Tricare

LemonLover33 · September 2011

So, where my thyroid and tumor were removed is now a keloid. I looked on the website and it says it will cover topical treatment if funcution is impaired. Well, it causes me pain to lean my head back still (5 months later) but mostly, it's painful and it's ugly. People still ask me what's wrong and kids can be mean. I dont understand why they will cover acne treatment but won't cover my keloid treatment. Anyone have any personal experience with this? I'm thinking after christmas we will end up paying OOP if Tricare won't cover. Selfish? Probably but it's makes me super insecure.

LemonLover33 · September 2011

I can't wear shirts with high collars. Like nothing can touch it. I'm discouraged.

ericandmarie · September 2011

LemonLover33:
I can't wear shirts with high collars. Like nothing can touch it. I'm discouraged.

Ugh! My scars keloid too and when I was younger and still playing softball I slid and got a chunk taken out of my knee. For about a year after it hurt to fully bend my knee or if clothing rubbed on it too much. The biggest is when it was cold out it would be sharp pain, like someone stabbing me in that spot. It doesn't happen so often anymore, but I feel your pain!

I hope they will cover it! I totally get the embarrassing part of it too. I look like I have kindergarten legs because of all my scars.

LemonLover33 · September 2011

I've never had a keloid. I've also never had surgery like this. My sister had to pay 2000 for a keloid to be removed from her nose piercing.

ericandmarie · September 2011

LemonLover33:
I've never had a keloid. I've also never had surgery like this. My sister had to pay 2000 for a keloid to be removed from her nose piercing.

Surprise

I've had piercings and thankfully they didn't keloid, but any surgery or pretty major injury has.

Sibil · September 2011

Tricare covered my derm and acne treatment last year, and I was 29. Just b/c I'm older doesn't mean I have better skin. So, either tricare has a definite age limit that my PCM ignored, or it's more flexible than KC mentioned.

As for keloids, I get those, too. I had a couple weird thingies removed, and they scarred big time (for a spot the size of, um, a black bean?, I have large bumpy scares where you can literally see the needle holes from the stitches). I have another to be removed, and I think I'm going to try to ask for a more plastic surgery approach given my pernhence for keloids. We'll see if they cover my request.

noshrtnoprb · September 2011

I had a keloid from my ear removed twice with tricare. The first time I went to derm and it came back way worse. The second time I went to Ear Nose and Throat. They removed it and followed up once a month for six months with a steriod injection. It worked great. No problems in 2+ years. It was cosmetic only, my hearing wasn't afftected at all and it was actually my primary care doc who suggested another go with the ENT doctors.

NSL · September 2011

Killer Cupcake:
Sibil:
Tricare covered my derm and acne treatment last year, and I was 29. Just b/c I'm older doesn't mean I have better skin. So, either tricare has a definite age limit that my PCM ignored, or it's more flexible than KC mentioned.
As for keloids, I get those, too. I had a couple weird thingies removed, and they scarred big time (for a spot the size of, um, a black bean?, I have large bumpy scares where you can literally see the needle holes from the stitches). I have another to be removed, and I think I'm going to try to ask for a more plastic surgery approach given my pernhence for keloids. We'll see if they cover my request.
I should've been more specific.
If it's considered cosmetic, they will only cover it until a certain age. Like my Retin-A is only covered until a certain age. However, if I were still on my antibiotics, I'm almost positive they would still be covered.

I had purely cosmetic acne medication covered at age 29 at our MTF. OP, are you looking at the rules outlined in the Tricare benefits handbook, or have you been told by a derm that treatment of your scar won't be covered? Frankly, I think you have a good case for impaired function if you can't enjoy a full range of motion without pain.

LemonLover33 · September 2011

NSL- I looked on the website. And that is what it said. Should I see an ENT or a dermatologist? The ENT I saw for my surgery left a bad taste in my mouth so either I need a new ENT or a dermatologist to fix this. I was told over and over the scar would be a thin line and no one would ever notice it (nurse, doctor, and strangers).

NSL · September 2011

Eff the ENT--scars are under the purview of dermatology. You might have to go through your PCM to get a referral, but like I said earlier I would be shocked if Tricare gives you grief about treating it. Pain isn't cosmetic.

LemonLover33 · September 2011

NSL:
Eff the ENT--scars are under the purview of dermatology. You might have to go through your PCM to get a referral, but like I said earlier I would be shocked if Tricare gives you grief about treating it. Pain isn't cosmetic.

Seriously. I swear I'm not being a baby. I don't have total range and nothing can touch it. No covers at night, no shirts, not even my hair. And it itches like mad. After 5 months this shiit shouldn't be happening.

NSL · September 2011

LemonLover33:
NSL:
Eff the ENT--scars are under the purview of dermatology. You might have to go through your PCM to get a referral, but like I said earlier I would be shocked if Tricare gives you grief about treating it. Pain isn't cosmetic.

Seriously. I swear I'm not being a baby. I don't have total range and nothing can touch it. No covers at night, no shirts, not even my hair. And it itches like mad. After 5 months this shiit shouldn't be happening.

Exactly, which is why Tricare should cover it no questions asked. I hope you're able to get an appointment soon.

Keloids and Tricare

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