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Thread: Expiration Dates

  1. #1
    Rising Star
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    Hi Folks;

    Yesterday, Tuesday 8-01-00, The Od next door brought me a page from his July issue of the Texas Optometric Assoc. newsletter. On page two there is an article titled "PRESCRIPTIONS Expiration Dates". About half way down the column it says, "lately, the Board has recieved numerous telephone calls stating that some licensees and their staff members are informing the public that a new law has been passed so that a SPECTACLE PRESCRIPTION "automatically' expires after one year and that an eye examination is required annually. Then it says, in bold underlined letters. THERE IS NO SUCH LAW.

    They go on to say that law permits, at the discretion of the Doctor, an expiration date, but there is no one year expiration requirement.

    I just wonder if things are getting so bad for the OD's that they feel they need to "Hood Wink" their patients. We hava one OD here in town that tries to put a six month expiration date on his Rx's. He usually goes into Riggors if someone tries to or wants to take their Rx elsewhere. What a ripoff of the population. Maybe Tom Brokaw ought to do a segment on his "Fleecing of America" on this.

    Have any of you heard of this happening in your areas? Just wondering.

    Jim,Been fleeced enough, Seebach

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder Jeff Trail's Avatar
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    Jim,

    Don't think you are the only one dealing with these type of guys...We have a local Od that puts EVERYbody into a PAL.. .75 adds out the ying yang :) (still using that phrase Darris) .. I had a bud I play golf with that went in there and got his RX he is 26 years old.. his correction is pl-.50 OD .25 -.25 OS and the OD told him he needed PAL's with a whopping .75 add... how pathetic I did do them for him since the "Doctor" told him he needed them..well, "he is the "doctor" so he should be giving me what I need" of course he couldn't wear them, and we made him a pair of SV's..OH and the kicker? When he went to get a copy of his RX at the start, the OD made him pay a "fee" of $25 to get his RX !!! I shoulda pushed my friend into turning the OD and his optician into the state for charging this fee ... BTW the $25 fee was supposedly a charge to cover the "opticians" time he spent trying to "force" Greg into ordering a pair of Adaptars at the low rate of $175 which VSP was going to be charged...
    Sometimes I'm totally disgusted with the direction we are heading in optics.. no wonder people do not have respect for optical people any longer..

    Jeff "someone give me some lucky numbers, win the lottery and retire" Trail

  3. #3
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    Idea

    While we are on this subject, do you think that Medicaid is ever gonna wise up to the fact that since they won't pay for exam unless Rx results. They end up paying for a lot of glasses people don't really need and won't use.

  4. #4
    Optical Curmudgeon EyeManFla's Avatar
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    Damn,Jeff....I though all the scum ODs were here on the Fl west coast....LOL

    This expiration date problem is really geting out of hand. Hey, if an OD is dumb enough to go work for a chain that only pays him $20.00 for an exam, screwing the patients won't help him later on when he finally opens a private practice....believe me, I have seen it too many times.

    As for Medicare/Medicaide....well, the cheating in Florida is it's own big business. I quit a well paying job a couple of years age because the OD wanted me to sign off on a Medicare form for a proceedure that the University that we were working with told himthat the was completely against policy.....

    If it our business as a whole...or is it just Florida...??? I don't remember running into any of this kinda **** when I was in the Northeast.

  5. #5
    Bad address email on file Darris Chambless's Avatar
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    Well Jimbo,

    The cat's out of the bag as it were ;-) There is no law that says there is a one year experation date on a spectacle script and the Two Door law was repealed in Texas. What will be next?

    Life one the edge. What could be better? ;-)

    Darris C.

  6. #6
    OptiBoard Professional Ryan's Avatar
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    I have a dispensary in Texas and am just curious what to tell the patient with an expired prescription that has been told there is a law that prohibits use of a expired prescription. "Yes ma'am, the prescription is expired, but, that doesn't mean anything." "I am so desperate for your money, so ignore that experation date on your rx, just because there is a loop hole in state law. When you go home ma'am, don't worry about the experation date on that milk, it doesn't mean anything, they just want you to buy another gallon." Come on people, there is a reason rx's expire, just like anything else with an expiration date. I run a dispenary and get no $$ from exams, but I ALWAYS recommend a new exam with an expired rx. Go ahead and fill the expired rx, but 6 months later the pt. will need a rx change, and want new FREE lenses.

  7. #7
    OptiBoard Apprentice
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    I still say we should wall off Florida just above the big lake and let Castro have it - and all its crooks. (just kidding) Here in the midwest, most docs put a one or two year expire date on spec RXs and ALWAYS a 1 yr on contacts. If I get a client with an RX of over 1 year, I alway encourage them to get a new exam (I hae no Dr. affiliation), but will gladly fill their RX with them understanding I'm dealing with an RX that most likely will only work marginally well. If it has an exp date I hit them with the analogy of a pharmist filling an expired RX for some really good drugs. It just in't done and if it were and the person suffered any sort of negativ reaction - well let's just say I hope they know how to call their cellmate sweetie!!

  8. #8
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    Blue Jumper

    The other side of expiration dates. These laws are passed so that the "doctor" can be guaranteed a new exam fee yearly. In many cases this also guarantees that he will get to fill the Rx in house, Many "doctors" insist that the patient fill the Rx by one form of pressure or another in house. Some insist that the patient buy "a years supply of contact lenses" in house when the Rx is written, theby effectively cutting an independent or other source out of the loop.

    We do still advise all patients to see the doctor yearly or as advised by the doctor. But we have all seen the patient who has worn glasses for decade with the same Rx or PMMA contacts for decades without change and without ill effects. One could trust such laws if the "doctor" were out of the economic loop of were and how the Rx if filled. But since they are in, it all boils down to who can buy the legislature.

  9. #9
    Optical Curmudgeon EyeManFla's Avatar
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    [QUOTE]Originally posted by Rhonda:
    [I]I still say we should wall off Florida just above the big lake and let Castro have it - and all its crooks. (just kidding)

    OK, I'll buy that.

    I most heartly agree that some expiration dates do serve a very useful purpose.
    And, yes, we have told our customers for as long as I have been in the business that you get your eyes checked every year to two years just as you would go see your regular GP.
    Of course, where expiration dates are most useful are as a tool for non-compliant contact lens wearers.
    As far as eyeglasses are concerned, except in the case of childern and post 40 bifocal wearing old babyboomers, that script is usually going to be good for about five years. But who wants to tell their customers that..........

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