Insurance is a frustrating thing. (eye insurance)

[cabmandone]

So I go to the eye doctor the other day and get my checkup. I have had glasses for about two years now. Left eye distance is blurry and right eye up close is getting blurry. WHAT FUN. So anyhow, I ask the doc if I can get some contacts for while I'm hunting. I get my checkup, he prescribes a lens and recommends a certain brand because I told him I had tried other contacts that irritated my eye (yeah I only wore one). So I go up front and I'm talking with someone about my options and costs. 3 month supply of contacts, $140. I tell them I'll wait and that I might just have new clear lenses made for my sunglasses. I figure I can swap them out when I'm going hunting.

I decide to do some looking on the internet for contacts. I come across a site offering the exact same contacts for $62 shipped for a 90 day supply or $111 for a 6 month supply. I call the office back and ask if that $140 was for a 3 or 6 month supply. They say "three month". I ask "was that with my insurance coverage?" they say "yes, without insurance it would have been $400".

I'm gonna call my insurance provider and ask a few questions today. I doubt they'll offer any reimbursement for buying contacts through an out of network provider. I have to wonder, what good is insurance when it costs me more to use that insurance to buy glasses or contacts. The glasses and contacts are the big expense of this whole thing. The doctor visit is minimal in comparison.

Just a rant. Thanks for indulging.

[Bugsinrugs]

Similar situation with dental insurance. With insurance a teeth cleaning was $200 until a deductible is met. Without, $125. I really think dental insurance is a scam.

[cabmandone]

It just makes no sense to me. Why mark it up to show a savings? How does the insurance company benefit from paying more? Or am I just a sucker for paying for the insurance so they can "provide a service"?

[mattdavis11]

I think insurance in general is a scam. I went to my cardiologist last month for high blood pressure/hypertension, 230/130/85, (had not been in 10 years, new job, more stress) they did an EKG, saturation test and gave me a clonodine pill. Doc prescribes Tx, and I pay. No insurance $271. A few days ago I got another bill for $298. I call them up and they say I only owe $27. From the billing it looks like they waived $160 because I had no insurance. Fast pay make fast friends I guess, but to charge $160 more if I had insurance? No wonder rates are beyond affordability.

[mepstein]

My wife has been buying her contacts at Costco for years. Cheaper than insurance and it's Costco so 100% satisfied with service. It even counts towards our membership rebates. You used to have to pick up at the store but now they ship for free.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

I think insurance in general is a scam.

A visit to any insurance company campus would confirm your suspicion. The local company has an 18 hole golf course.

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

I think insurance in general is a scam. I went to my cardiologist last month for high blood pressure/hypertension, 230/130/85, (had not been in 10 years, new job, more stress) they did an EKG, saturation test and gave me a clonodine pill. Doc prescribes Tx, and I pay. No insurance $271. A few days ago I got another bill for $298. I call them up and they say I only owe $27. From the billing it looks like they waived $160 because I had no insurance. Fast pay make fast friends I guess, but to charge $160 more if I had insurance? No wonder rates are beyond affordability.

Here is how my insurance works. Say, bill is $300. My portion is 20% of $300. Insurance gets a discount and pays $50. but I still pay 20% of $300. Total scam.

[GH85Carrera]

Most medical insurance is for the catastrophic things. For routine checkups and minor parts of living, it is just a layer of paperwork and expenses.

If you have to go to a hospital or outpatient surgery, the costs are insane and the hospital simply does not want to have a price list or any logical billing system. Like airline tickets, there is no set cost, everyone seems to pay a different price for the same service.

I saw the bills for my hip replacement, and it gets to be staggering quickly. Insurance paid their share, and it makes me feel better when year after year I just pay premiums.

[Sooner or later]

well said.

[vash]

eye insurance is the step child of the insurance categories.

[cabmandone]

I called my insurance provider. I asked them if they cover contacts purchased out of network. They said they cover them but at a lesser amount (120 in, 105 out) I told them the office I visited quoted me $140, insurance included, for contacts I bought online for $62. I was told I could file a claim and my contact purchase would be covered by the out of network amount. So I went from $140 out of pocket to nothing. They also directed me to an online in network provider. Their price was $140. Insurance would cover $125 so my out of pocket would be $15. I still like nothing more than $15. Basically, out of network I could buy a 6 month supply for $111 and have less out of pocket than buying just a 3 month supply from an in network provider. Nuts!