Tricare and vasectomies....

RickeyandDani · June 2011

What's your general understanding about Tricare covering a vasectomy. DH and I are definitely done having children. He said something about them not doing it until our youngest is 6 months old. DH hates condoms and I don't see any point to going on the pill for a few months. Of course we will do what we have to lol, but I'd think they would let him have one as soon as he wants. I have a stepson as well, so that's 3 for DH and 2 for me.

drcolleen · June 2011

It's up to the doc and their practice-- or if they have a standing policy. I'm an army family doc who does vasectomies and I'll do them if their wife is pregnant but the other 2 AD docs won't. I don't do them when guys tell me they they are single, but had someone who had had testicular surgery and the general surgeon (who does an open approach vs the FP minimally invasive office procedure) was willing to do it-- relative social contraindication that is a contraindication for me. Just remember, sometimes there is a waiting list, and you will have 6 weeks after the procedure of using a back up method until you hear the semen analysis comes back sterile.

GreenFlamingo7 · June 2011

To add to what drcolleen wrote, every FP doc and urologist is going to have their own personal set of criteria. Approval for the consult will depend on the provider reading the consults that day. Some are more hung up on the overall age of the patient, some require 3+ kids before they will approve. One doc in our clinic requires a stable 5 year marriage before he will approve. When your huband meets with his PCM to obtain the referral they can discuss all the factors that will determine his eligibility for the procedure. 1ht

hunt2005 · June 2011

Is he the AD member? I know up here in WA they have to go to the vasectomy clinic for a counseling session, and depending on what happens there they can get it done. There are no hard and fast rules, just like there aren't for tubal ligation. I know of a 30 year old whose was denied and a 22 year old whose was authorized, it just depends on personal situations. Many times they will make you sign the form and then wait 30 days to make sure it's not a split second decision (just like with tubals and delivery - you can't decide day of, you have to have talked it over beforehand).

Lithigin · July 2011

My only specific experience is DH's cousin. They had 3 kids under the age of 4 or 5, couldn't really afford them on a SPC salary, but Tricare resisted because he was only 23 or so. They finally gave in and gave him one a year or two later. Unfortunately, they did some weird thing where a nerve was joined to some other nerve where too much stimulation (not sexual, but physical for a deployment). They med-boarded him out of the Army and put him on disability. He was super pissed and spent the next 2 years or so fighting to get reinstated. He is back in the Army now and stationed at Fort Wainwright.

Anyway, long story short is that it seems like either age or kid quantity can restrict your access to a vasectomy.

Tricare and vasectomies....

Re: Tricare and vasectomies....

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