Eye Insurance

[Symom]

This year my retired husband and I decided that eye and dental insurance would be in our best interest. When we went to get new glasses we were faced with a number of issues we found surprising and unacceptable. It seems that if you contact eye places that honor your insurance, it doesn't mean they only charge you what your insurance company lists as your co-pay. If you expect to pay what your insurance company tell you your costs will be, you need to go to a facility that has their frames and uses their labs for the lenses. The difference in out of pocket expense is not small. I have to admit that I was feeling quite embarrased being so insistant on knowing the exact cost of each item, frame, lense, coating etc.
In the long run it saved us many $ and I finally feel like an educated consumer instead of a cheap, penny pinching old lady. Be careful and ask lots of questions.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

This year my retired husband and I decided that eye and dental insurance would be in our best interest. When we went to get new glasses we were faced with a number of issues we found surprising and unacceptable. It seems that if you contact eye places that honor your insurance, it doesn't mean they only charge you what your insurance company lists as your co-pay.

Right. With vision insurance, you are allowed a certain amount each year that can be used towards glasses or contacts, but not both.

 

[atrusomder]

our insurance only covers $150.00 per 18 months and that is including the eye exam.
We have poor eye benefits. But on the flip side we have EXCELLENT Health and dental Benefits.

 

[Symom]

Our benifits turned out to be GREAT once I ask enough questions and took my perscription to a business that used the labs and lenses of our provider. Let me make up some bogus figures and maybe explain myself better.
Said Insurance company says you pay $30.00 for this type of lens.
If you go to some places that say they take your insurance, they charge $80.00 for that lense, saying their contract with the insurance company allows $20.00. You have to pay $60.00 not the $30.00 you were told by your insurance company.
If you go to a place that uses your insurance company's lab. YOU ONLY PAY $30. That's a big difference when you start adding up all the item's that make up a complete pair of glasses.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Our benifits turned out to be GREAT once I ask enough questions and took my perscription to a business that used the labs and lenses of our provider. Let me make up some bogus figures and maybe explain myself better.
Said Insurance company says you pay $30.00 for this type of lens.
If you go to some places that say they take your insurance, they charge $80.00 for that lense, saying their contract with the insurance company allows $20.00. You have to pay $60.00 not the $30.00 you were told by your insurance company.
If you go to a place that uses your insurance company's lab. YOU ONLY PAY $30. That's a big difference when you start adding up all the item's that make up a complete pair of glasses.

Your vision situation is no different than healthcare. I always ask a doctor if they take X insurance. If they don't, you know you'll have more OOP expenses. If they do, you know what your plan pays. :shrug:

 

[Symom]

My reason for posting this information is because my experiece was different then the way my health insurance works. That is my point. Consummers need to be very careful for at very reason.

 

[czygvtwkr]

Ive found vision insurance to cost more than it would be to just go to an eye doctor for a checkup and then go to Walmart or Target once every 2-3 years and pay yourself.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Ive found vision insurance to cost more than it would be to just go to an eye doctor for a checkup and then go to Walmart or Target once every 2-3 years and pay yourself.

I pay $1.61 a month for eye insurance. I get an eye exam every year ($40 value) and $150 credit towards glasses or contacts every year, too.