TRICARE Coverage for Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
TRICARE will cover Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment for issues related to:
- Arthritis or Osteoarthritis of the Knee
- Lateral Epicondylitis, also known as “Tennis Elbow”
PRP is a safe and non-surgical procedure
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy is a minimally invasive non-surgical treatment that promotes healing without surgery. If you have TRICARE and are experiencing knee or elbow pain, PRP can be a tremendous benefit to non-surgical healing. Platelets are a specialized type of blood cells that are involved in injury healing. With PRP, a concentrated platelet solution is injected into the injured or affected area to stimulate healing.
There are numerous clinical studies showing PRP promotes healing in a variety of orthopedic injuries, and may eliminate the need for more aggressive treatments, such as long-term medications or surgery.
Many famous athletes — PGA’s Tiger Woods, NBA’s Steph Curry, MLB’s Alex Rodriguez, tennis star Rafael Nadal, and several others — have received PRP for various problems, such as joint issues, tendon injuries, muscle tears, and many other conditions.
VSMD Approach
We offer the best PRP in Fairfax and rest of Northern Virginia for our TRICARE and non-TRICARE patients. PRP is a type of regenerative medicine refers to a group of treatment options that uses substances from your own body to help heal itself. Through these procedures, VSMD can help your body heal acute or chronic issues and injuries. The procedures are aimed at enhancing and healing injuries to bone, muscle, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues. Since regenerative medicine is minimally invasive, there is little to no downtime while on your way to recovery.
Additionally, we fully utilize the power of ultrasound imaging to diagnose, treat, and prevent pain and injury. Our doctors specialize in the use of ultrasound to pinpoint tears, strains, degeneration, arthritis, nerve impingement and many other abnormalities associated with the musculoskeletal system. Our doctors also use ultrasound to ensure accurate needle placement during procedures and injections. Ultrasound imaging is not only safe and effective but it can be used in an office setting during the patient’s visit. It saves time and money for our patients compared to other traditional imaging such as X-Ray or MRI.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Benefits
In-Office Procedure, Faster Recovery than Surgery
All Natural, Uses Body's Own Healing Power
Treats Acute and Chronic Issues
Affordable Compared to Surgical Procedures
PRP Uses Natural Components from the Body to Heal Problem Areas
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
In the musculoskeletal system, collagenous tissue, such as tendons, ligaments and cartilage, have extremely poor blood supply, which gives them their whitish appearance. Because of the important role blood plays in the process of healing, these tissues heal slowly and often incompletely. Blood contains amazing healing power with many types of cells working to maintain the health of the entire body. Plasma, the liquid portion of blood, acts primarily as a transport medium for blood cells, nutrients, and waste products. It contributes to the physiologic stability of the body. Plasma is mostly water, but also contains proteins that reduce pain and inflammation. Plasma also contains special blood cells that remove damaged tissue and clean injured areas in preparation for the healing process.
PRP treatments help the body’s natural healing process by directing large quantities of activated platelets to the site of injury. The platelets stimulate activation of localized cells and promote a healing response in surrounding tissue. The induced inflammation causes the body to deposit collagen molecules on damaged tissue.
This healing response also stimulates the production of new blood vessels that continue to feed the damaged tissue. Many patients feel pain relief within weeks of the procedure. Follow-up injections can boost the initial treatment for increased healing and pain relief. Growth factors contained in the platelets and plasma stimulate blood flow, promote matrix formation of soft tissue, and restore tendons and ligaments. Cartilage, ligaments, and tendons heal to become more firm and more resilient.
What is TRICARE?
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) offers TRICARE as a comprehensive health care program for active-duty and retired military troops, their families, and qualified survivors. The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) was superseded in 1993 by TRICARE, which was created to enhance the healthcare options accessible to the military population.
TRICARE provides various health care plans with medical, dental, vision, and pharmacy coverage options tailored to the individual requirements of service members and their families. The eligibility for these programs, designed for people at various phases of their military careers, is determined by elements including the member’s duty status and location.
TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Select, TRICARE Reserve Select, and TRICARE for Life are some of the most popular TRICARE plans. For instance, TRICARE Prime operates as a managed care program focusing on military treatment facilities (MTFs) as the primary healthcare providers. In contrast, TRICARE Select provides a more flexible, fee-for-service option that enables beneficiaries to select the healthcare providers they want.
TRICARE also provides plans for reservists, members of the National Guard, and their families, guaranteeing complete coverage even during periods of inactive service. For qualified military retirees and their dependents, TRICARE for Life supplements Medicare, filling this group’s coverage gaps.
TRICARE is a crucial resource that gives access to top-notch medical treatment and support to millions of military people and their families. TRICARE seeks to address the particular requirements of the military community and advance the well-being of those who have given their lives to serving their country by providing various plans and benefits.
