TRICARE Heeds Udall’s Call to Make Spinal Surgery Available for Active-Duty Troops

WASHINGTON, April 22 -- The office of Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., issued the following news release:

Mark Udall, who serves on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, thanked TRICARE -- the health care provider for active-duty service members -- for heeding his call to cover total disc arthroplasty surgery, a surgical procedure that can help troops suffering from some spinal injuries recover more quickly and return to unrestricted duty. TRICARE's decision follows Udall's pressure over the past year for it to re-evaluate its previous decision to not cover the artificial disc-replacement procedure.

"As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, I am proud to lead efforts to ensure our brave service men and women have access to the treatments they need through TRICARE to address battlefield injuries. I am pleased TRICARE heeded my call to provide our men and women in uniform coverage for total disc arthroplasty surgery," Udall said. "TRICARE's re-evaluation of its coverage of total disc arthroplasty surgery will help not just military personnel going forward, but also those who have sought treatment since December 2012. This move will help our wounded troops recover from debilitating back pain faster and with fuller mobility, and get back to unrestricted duty serving our country."

Udall has been the leading advocate of making TRICARE work for Colorado's active-duty personnel. Udall led the push to extend military health insurance coverage to the unmarried children, ages 26 or younger, of active-duty military personnel. Udall also is working across the aisle to assess and improve the programs and assistance currently available to veterans living with Post-Traumatic Stress.

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