Thursday, May 22, 2008

LASIK COST - Do Insurance Cover LASIK?

Elective Surgery vs. Other Types of Surgery

Many health companies consider LASIK an "elective" procedure, meaning your life does not necessarily depend on having the treatment. Elective procedures generally include cosmetic treatments that bolster image and perhaps your self-esteem.

If this is the case, the surgery will probably not be covered by your insurance, but it doesn't hurt to double check. Some insurance companies will offer a portion of coverage, especially if your doctor feels you need the surgery. This coverage, often offered by larger corporations, is usually an indemnity plan.

Don't forget however, to ask your doctor if your LASIK surgery might qualify as medically necessary. Many procedures that were once called "cosmetic" are now labeled necessary, and if that is the case your insurance should help you out.

LASIK Insurance Guidance

If you have any type of healthcare policy, you should contact your benefits coordinator and find out what exactly is and is not covered. You can ask your company questions regarding the amount of coverage offered, what procedures may be covered, and how much you will have to pay whether you use an in-network or out-of-network healthcare provider.

Costs of LASIK Surgery

When talking about surgery it is important you pay attention to the costs associated with LASIK, because not all companies charge the same price for various procedures. Usually you can expect to pay $1000 to $2600 for each eye depending on the complexity of the surgery.

While for many this may not seem like much, for others this can be an unreasonable price. For this reason many people decide to have LASIK surgery performed when an ophthalmologist or surgeon has "special rates". Just be sure if you plan to take advantage of a service like this, you first find out what exactly the special rate includes, and how well the doctor providing the service performs. You will want to check references to make sure you pay for quality surgery.

Getting LASIK Without Insurance

If you don't have insurance coverage, there are still many ways you can finance your surgery and work with a good LASIK eye surgeon. Many companies now offer financing for "elective" procedures, which may include various LASIK procedures. Some surgeons offer their patients "discounted" plans that lower the costs associated with paying for surgery out-of-pocket.

Keep in mind, however, that the discounted plan may not be as advantageous as financing your LASIK procedure through other means, such as a loan from your bank. Often when a surgeon provides the option of a "discounted" fee for service plan, the plan limits the types of LASIK covered, so you may not get the surgery you want if you take advantage of these plans. This is one reason it is important you and your doctor determine ahead of time what procedure or type of LASIK is most likely to produce a good outcome.

If all else fails, ask your doctor for payment plan options. You may find you are able to pay a small monthly fee with a finance charge to compensate your doctor for surgery. This is common practice for many surgeries insurance companies deem medically "unnecessary".

Original Article - Snappy Writting

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