Discount Eye Surgery: Shopping for the Best Price?
A recent visitor to our WebMD Eye and Vision Disorders Member Board wanted to know more about discount pricing for eye surgery, specifically laser refractive surgery.
Is there any real difference between a $399 operation and the $2199 procedure?
Several points deserve careful consideration. First, why would you want 'discount surgery' anyway? You will need to live with the outcome for a very long time. Simply stated, you want the very best possible results.
Next, the price for voluntary surgery (elective surgery) is not controlled by insurance companies or Medicare. Competitive forces within your local health care marketplace will determine what is reasonable. Beware! $399 surgery is often a teaser price, so look for lots of fine print. Patients who meet the eligibility requirements for $399 LASIK (very low myopia without astigmatism) probably don't need surgery.
Sure enough, you usually get what you pay for. Lowball prices often exclude services we typically expect as part of the package. Surprise! I had a similar experience when I recently bought my brand new Honda Element, that boxy-looking SUV. Guess what? The dealer charged me $140 for a driver's seat armrest. Suddenly the armrest is an after-market option. An armrest?
I say forget about comparison pricing and devote your time researching surgeons instead. Look for two specific things: word-of-mouth endorsements from satisfied patients and verified credentials that confirm the surgeon's expertise. You will forget about price shortly after the operation so long as you are satisfied with the results.
Related Links: Vision Fact or Fiction: Quiz, Squint at Computer Screen: Eye Risk?
Technorati Tags: LASIK, eye surgery, laser refractive surgery, comparison pricing
Is there any real difference between a $399 operation and the $2199 procedure?
Several points deserve careful consideration. First, why would you want 'discount surgery' anyway? You will need to live with the outcome for a very long time. Simply stated, you want the very best possible results.
Next, the price for voluntary surgery (elective surgery) is not controlled by insurance companies or Medicare. Competitive forces within your local health care marketplace will determine what is reasonable. Beware! $399 surgery is often a teaser price, so look for lots of fine print. Patients who meet the eligibility requirements for $399 LASIK (very low myopia without astigmatism) probably don't need surgery.
Sure enough, you usually get what you pay for. Lowball prices often exclude services we typically expect as part of the package. Surprise! I had a similar experience when I recently bought my brand new Honda Element, that boxy-looking SUV. Guess what? The dealer charged me $140 for a driver's seat armrest. Suddenly the armrest is an after-market option. An armrest?
I say forget about comparison pricing and devote your time researching surgeons instead. Look for two specific things: word-of-mouth endorsements from satisfied patients and verified credentials that confirm the surgeon's expertise. You will forget about price shortly after the operation so long as you are satisfied with the results.
Related Links: Vision Fact or Fiction: Quiz, Squint at Computer Screen: Eye Risk?
Technorati Tags: LASIK, eye surgery, laser refractive surgery, comparison pricing
3 Comments:
A good, well respected eye surgen is worth the money! At 2K an eye my surgery (which ended up being PRK instead of LASIK) was expensive, but worth every cent. That huge price include any (and I do mean ANY) follow up care for a whole year up to and including any other surgery if needed.
My surgeon was a recommendation from my eye doctor, who worked with the surgeon to complete the year long follow ups without any extra expense.
Three eyes later - I still love it.
Money is definetly the last criteria by which you should choose your surgeon. My eye surgery went great, though it was quite expensive, and now I'm writing a blog to share the experience.
LASIK costs have declined as the procedure has become more common. Nowadays the average LASIK surgery costs $750 to $2,000 for one eye. However, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) cautions patients not to choose their doctor based on the LASIK surgery cost. Instead, the AAO encourages people to choose their doctor based on experience level. Most insurance companies do not cover LASIK costs.
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