[ml/nj]

So the bottom line for me would seem to be that the cost to me of my annual eye exam will likely double. It's so wonderful to know that, "Medicare has deemed that a refraction is not a medical service and therefore not a covered service," or that this has anything to do with me. I have nothing to do with Medicare except to subsidize it.

ML/NJ

[O6ret]

I can see that this is only the beginning of the eye-opening changes coming under Obamacare.

[Manta]

Rationing is starting

[Lazamataz]

Some of the time vision loss is slow and progressive and the patient may not notice, that is why we will check the patient's vision by refracting them.

I've heard it call 'screwing them', 'hustling them', 'f***ing them', 'boning them', and 'scamming them'.

I've never heard it called 'refracting them' before.

Huh.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Medicare has deemed that a refraction is not a medical service and therefore not a covered service. Medicare does acknowledge that this is separate to the rest of the eye exam and therefore there is a separate fee for this service. Most insurance companies have followed Medicare's lead and do not cover the refraction, because they consider the test to be "vision care" and unrelated to the office visit.

Harbinger of the ultimate result of Obamacare.

[La Lydia]

There are a number of businesses that sell glasses, that is, frames and lenses, that offer a free examination, the refraction, if you buy their glasses. Decline the exam from your doctor, if you need glasses, and wait until Sears, or Pearl Vision, or whatever, has a sale where the exam is included.

[savedbygrace]

Insanity, just plain insanity. Refraction is absolutely required for the optometrist or ophthalmologist to determine the precise correction you need. How can that NOT be a medical service?

[Jedidah]

We’ve got good private insurance, and this is how they have always handled vision coverage. Nothing new, except that Medicare is apparently now handling these claims like the private firms do.

[VermiciousKnid]

Well, anybody could have seen THIS coming a mile away...

That said, I’ve never understood why vision problems are not covered as medical expenses.

After all..if I had a hand that WORKED, but did not work WELL, and the doctor could fix it, it would be covered.

Same goes for just about any other organ I can think of. A myopic eye is just another organ that isn’t functioning properly, isnt’ it? What is it about vision problems that cause them not to be covered as legitimate MEDICAL problems?

Regards,

[I am Richard Brandon]

And on a related subject, I notice that the AARP offering of 'Medicare Complete' through Secure Horizons/United Healthcare which in 2009 was a $0 plan, is now available only after payment of a $25 per month premium - same name, new price: no information - just a book of payment coupons through the mail. If you want a $0 plan with them, a 'no prescription coverage' plan is listed on their website with a slight variation on the name.

So soon, so much profit to be made from gullible Medicared seniors, so many scams to be run.

If you have loved ones on an AARP plan, I suggest that you check whether they are being scammed in this way. Me, I moved to a Blue Cross Anthem Medicare Complete plan with $0 premium and prescription coverage.

[Adder]

This is not new: my eye dr has had such a notice posted in the office for a while now.

[Romulus]

Refracting has never been a medical service. It is about vision correction. Refractions are performed by optometrists (Doctors of Optometry), who are not medical doctors and are not qualified to treat for cataracts, glaucoma, detached retina, etc. Optometrists do not perform laser surgery. All they do is examone for vision correction. If a medical condition is detected, they refer to an MD.

This is chicken feed. Quit whining.

[grumpygresh]

You have to realize Medicare is under tremendous fiscal pressure because of reduced tax revenue and profligate federal spending. CMS (Medicare financing arm) will continue to cut around the edges. Eventually, they will have to cut out the essential services if 0bamacare becomes law. Wherever possible, the government will attempt to pass the blame off to insurance companies and providers.
But consider this. Suppose Medicare covered refraction services but only paid $10. Great. Not necessarily. In this case the provider would have to accept a price lower than the cost to deliver the service. Any non controlled prices would go up to make up the difference. If there is no place to shift the cost, the service will not be rendered or the provider will be forced to stop accepting payment from the insurance company or medical program (Medicare).
The only way to get rational prices is to expose patients to the costs. We could do this with tax exempt high deductible medical savings accounts in the private sector.

[Red Badger]

Cheap Sunglasses
Artist(Band): ZZ Top

When you wake up in the morning and the light is hurt your head
The first thing you do when you get up out of bed
Is hit that streets a-runnin’ and try to beat the masses
And go get yourself some cheap sunglasses
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah

Spied a little thing and I followed her all night
In a funky fine levis and her sweater’s kind of tight
She had a west coast strut that was as sweet as molases
But what really knocked me out was her cheap sunglasses
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah

(solo)

Now go out and get yourself some big black frames
With the glass so dark thay won’t even know your name
And the choice is up to you cause they come in two classes:
Rhinestone shades or cheap sunglasses
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah

[elli1]

Nothing new. Trips to the optometrist for vision exams (refraction) have generally never been covered by insurance. Maybe a few of those union-negotiated Cadillac plans cover it but, in my experience w/ a handful of employer provided plans, I’ve never had a refraction covered by insurance.

I am curious about your experience w/ health plans that do/did cover refraction. Do fill us in.

[upchuck]

FWIW, I am on Medicare, saw my eye Dr. in Dec and he charged $20 for this.

[codercpc]

I am a certified coder of medical claims. The truth is that your optometrist has been giving you a "free" service for years. Refractory is ALWAYS to be billed seperately, and if they haven't been doing so, they have been billing incorrectly.

[ImpBill]

A number of specialists in our area are not going to be accepting medicare patients any longer.

And so it begins.

See you all at carousel!

[cajuncow]

My mother, who is on medicare, recently had an eye exam and she had to pay $20. Now I know why.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

But an important medical service like Viagra is covered.

[Hildy]

It costs $30 to fill a tank of gas for your car...I honestly don’t know why people can’t pay for their own damn eye examinations. Why must Medicare pay for every single thing? If someone comes up with a good explanation for me, I’ll apologize and admit I was wrong.