Price of an Initial Procedure

The price practices charge for the LASIK procedure can vary tremendously, depending upon conditions specific to the patient and area. Practices set their own prices and determine the services that are offered at those prices. As you consider the various quotes, keep in mind that you should also be comparing services. The following are some questions that can assist you with evaluating the services provided by a practice.

• Are all pre-operative and post-operative visits included in the cost of the initial procedure, or will additional charges for preoperative and postoperative visits apply?
  
  
• Can you choose the surgeon who will be operating on your eyes in advance, or will a surgeon be assigned to you the day of surgery?
  
  
• Who will be providing postoperative care?
  
  
• In the event of a complication, who would be providing emergency care?

Patients must determine for themselves the level of service they require and the quality of care they need in order to feel comfortable about the decision to undergo surgery and satisfied with outcomes.

Price of an Enhancement Procedure

The cost of enhancement procedures also varies. Some surgeons do not charge their patients for enhancements during a certain postoperative period. Others may charge a nominal fee. Most surgeons will charge a patient considerably less for an enhancement than they charge for an initial procedure.The following questions can assist you with your evaluation.

• Are enhancements included in the cost of the initial procedure, or will you need to pay full price or a lesser charge for an enhancement?
  
  
• If enhancements are included in the price, are stipulations specified? For instance, are enhancements covered only after a specified period of time? Will you need to see one of the ophthalmologists at that location within a certain period of time to qualify for a future enhancement?

Finally, be sure to read all the fine print regarding enhancements very carefully to determine what obligations, if any, you must fulfill in order to be eligible.

Insurance Concerns

Although LASIK is not a cosmetic surgery, it is considered an elective procedure. Such surgeries are covered in many African, Latin American, European and Asian countries. However, most insurance companies in the United States and Canada will not cover the cost, nor will Medicare usually cover it.

Patients should check with their insurance companies to see if they do have partial or full coverage. In some cases, the cost of the procedure may be covered by medical flex plans or medical cafeteria plans that allow pretax dollars to be set aside for medical expenses. Patients should check with their employers to see if they offer this type of benefit. Several companies in the United States are now covering LASIK for their employees, to an extent. Moreover, it is possible that the cost of LASIK may be deducted from your U.S. federal income taxes. You should check with your accountant to see if you can take LASIK as a deductible health expense.