free lasik surgery for military personnel?

[iLuvDAT]

i heard that it's free for all in military. Can someone confirm this?

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[BuckeyMcGee]

I hope! If so, do you know if it is available to people on the HPSP scholarship...I would love to never put another contact in again!

 

[Deep Impact]

i heard that it's free for all in military. Can someone confirm this?

Not sure about lasik, but I remember PRK was FREE for me. I'm sure it is.

 

[BQuad]

It is available at some bases, but not all, and they won't send you to another base just to have it done. There's also usually a waiting list and they'll have to be able to spare you at your clinic for the recovery time. My wife had her's done during dental school on the civilian side, her doc recommended at least a week out of the clinic. It will not be done while you are in dental school since you won't have any military medical benefits yet.

 

[Deep Impact]

It is available at some bases, but not all, and they won't send you to another base just to have it done. There's also usually a waiting list and they'll have to be able to spare you at your clinic for the recovery time. My wife had her's done during dental school on the civilian side, her doc recommended at least a week out of the clinic. It will not be done while you are in dental school since you won't have any military medical benefits yet.

You explained it perfectly. I left out a lot of details. There was a waiting list and I waited 6 months and yeap, only the big hospitals have the machines to get this done.

 

[Smills91]

It is available at some bases, but not all, and they won't send you to another base just to have it done. There's also usually a waiting list and they'll have to be able to spare you at your clinic for the recovery time. My wife had her's done during dental school on the civilian side, her doc recommended at least a week out of the clinic. It will not be done while you are in dental school since you won't have any military medical benefits yet.

Unless you did the Navy's HSCP, correct?

 

[SNOZBERRIES]

The AF may send you to another base to get it done. Our optometrist frequently sends folks 8 hours away to Lackland. I think the way it works is the AF will do the surgery, but the patient may be responsible for paying for the hotel for the week until the one week post-op is complete. I could be wrong, they may pay for the entire thing, but it is probably a permissive TDY.

 

[BQuad]

I believe Navy HSCP still gives you medical benefits, but I'm not very familiar with the program.

 

[dheav005]

remember the needs of the Navy comes first...one of my fellow residents went through all the application paperwork for the procedure, but wasnt selected by the board because the Navy could fix his eyesight with glasses and loupes without sacrificing performance in his particular job (i.e. dentistry). i also doubt , though i dont know for sure, that the HSCP coverage under Tricare would include what is essentially an elective surgery (at least in the eyes on the Navy).