Community Chat

[Carmie]

@NicksmomESQ   Do you have a seperate Vision plan or just a medical plan?  Medical  Plans do not cover a refraction, just medical problems with the eyes.

If you have a seperate vision plan, I would not pay the bill until it was submitted to the insurance company.  It could be a service that is not billable if your doctors is in your network.

[NicksmomESQ]

@Carmie   This visit wasn't through separate vision coverage..It was submitted through medical coverage. Prior doctors I've been to never charged me for the script. They were through my medical plan to.🤷‍♀️
  Thanks for the explanation.I'll be more aware next time.I guess some doctors bill for it & some don't.

[Carmie]

@NicksmomESQ   My doctor bills $80 for a refraction!  The fee is always mentioned upfront before my exam though.

[patbz]

My ophamalogist had a disclaimer that if I wanted a prescription for new glasses there would be a $45 charge.  I still had refraction, etc but since my eyes had barely changed, no need for prescription.  As I'm on Medicare ( no eye coverage by BCBS ) I paid nothing for his services.

[NicksmomESQ]

  Thanks everyone for your replies.I called back the doctors office a few moments ago. I spoke to the billing person this time. She put me on hold for a few minutes.When she came back she said "the doctor will waive the fee as a courtesy this time because they neglected to tell you about it."

[FrostyBabe1]

My opthamologist doesn't even do refractions!

They have an optometrist on staff that does that.

I see both in the same visit. The optometrist does the vision screening, checks my glasses and contacts, and writes the prescription for another year supply of contacts. That's $135 and I have to pay it before I leave the office, prescription in hand. 

The opthamologist does the actual medical screening. I had a retinal detachement about 6 1/2 years ago, so he takes photos, etc. That all gets billed to my medical insurance. 

[Still Raining]

Here is the section from the FR that the FTC uses:

456.2   Separation of examination and dispensing.

It is an unfair act or practice for an ophthalmologist or optometrist to:

(a) Fail to provide to the patient one copy of the patient's prescription immediately after the eye examination is completed. Provided: An ophthalmologist or optometrist may refuse to give the patient a copy of the patient's prescription until the patient has paid for the eye examination, but only if that ophthalmologist or optometrist would have required immediate payment from that patient had the examination revealed that no ophthalmic goods were required;

(b) Condition the availability of an eye examination to any person on a requirement that the patient agree to purchase any ophthalmic goods from the ophthalmologist or optometrist;

(c) Charge the patient any fee in addition to the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's examination fee as a condition to releasing the prescription to the patient. Provided: An ophthalmologist or optometrist may charge an additional fee for verifying ophthalmic goods dispensed by another seller when the additional fee is imposed at the time the verification is performed;

or

(d) Place on the prescription, or require the patient to sign, or deliver to the patient a form or notice waiving or disclaiming the liability or responsibility of the ophthalmologist or optometrist for the accuracy of the eye examination or the accuracy of the ophthalmic goods and services dispensed by another seller.

[Mindy D]

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@Still Raining wrote:

Here is the section from the FR that the FTC uses:

456.2   Separation of examination and dispensing.

It is an unfair act or practice for an ophthalmologist or optometrist to:

(a) Fail to provide to the patient one copy of the patient's prescription immediately after the eye examination is completed. Provided: An ophthalmologist or optometrist may refuse to give the patient a copy of the patient's prescription until the patient has paid for the eye examination, but only if that ophthalmologist or optometrist would have required immediate payment from that patient had the examination revealed that no ophthalmic goods were required;

(b) Condition the availability of an eye examination to any person on a requirement that the patient agree to purchase any ophthalmic goods from the ophthalmologist or optometrist;

(c) Charge the patient any fee in addition to the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's examination fee as a condition to releasing the prescription to the patient. Provided: An ophthalmologist or optometrist may charge an additional fee for verifying ophthalmic goods dispensed by another seller when the additional fee is imposed at the time the verification is performed;

or

(d) Place on the prescription, or require the patient to sign, or deliver to the patient a form or notice waiving or disclaiming the liability or responsibility of the ophthalmologist or optometrist for the accuracy of the eye examination or the accuracy of the ophthalmic goods and services dispensed by another seller.

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@Still Raining @The opthamolgist did comply with this. There is nothing written in it that says the doctor can not charge for a refraction exam fee.