What do you think??

[renee1111]

Hi all! I need your expert opinion on a recent situation.
Okay, so here we go…
I had a lady come in to purchase new eyewear last week. She hadn’t had her eyes checked in about three years so I recommended that she should get a new eye exam done. She agreed and off she went to the Optometrist office.

She got a full eye exam and paid in full ($110) After the exam she was directed to the dispensary, where she immediately asked for a copy of her prescription (not wanting to waste anyone’s time) The dispenser told her it wouldn’t be a problem but that there would be a $35 charge for it! The lady freaked, (understandably) and now wants to lodge a formal complaint to the college.

Has anyone been in this situation? Is this allowed, can an OD really pose an extra charge if the patient wants to purchase elsewhere? This just doesn’t seem right to me.

I appreciate any opinions you may have. In hopes that this thread won’t degenerate into OD’s vs. Opticians, like we’ve all seen in the past. :o

[mlm]

It's stunts like this that make me shake my head at my own profession :(

As far as I know, you can charge for additional copies of the Rx (if you're that petty), but not for the initial copy. Patients should always be free to take their Rx to the optical of their choice. I'd have to look it up to be sure, but I suspect that the extra fee may be against the College guidelines.

[Breaking Bad]

"Generally speaking", with an OD a refraction is included with the Eye Exam. Depending on which state your in will define whats legal and whats not. Considering the $110 price tag, which is about the highest I've heard of with an OD, one could assume that's it's included. There are laws regarding RX capturing and perhaps, emphasis on the word perhaps, the Dispenser made a mistake regarding the fee.

[Crazy-bout-Optics]

Practice I am at for New Pts a Comp exam including refraction is $190 . Thats $45 for the refraction and $145 for the Complete check of the eyes. Dialation is included, Photos are $35 extra. Last practice I was at was just a little less.
Makes me wonder about all those "Free Eye Exams" with purchase that we see advertised all the time. Granted we are 90% VSP, so I guess our cash pts are subsidising the cost for our Ins pts. Isn't insurance wonderful!!

~Crazy, Literally :cheers:

[AdmiralKnight]

Regardless of what other offices charge for services, this patient has obviously had both a full exam and a refraction. I'd flip if it was I were in her shoes too. I go to an office and ask for an eye-exam. $110? Seems high, but oh well, that's what it costs. What's this? I have to pay MORE to have my rx? Ridiculous.

You've payed for a service, without a copy of the rx, you've basically payed for NOTHING. This bothers me quite a bit, to the point where I can't even put my words down.

[Ineed Chocolate]

You've payed for a service, without a copy of the rx, you've basically payed for NOTHING. .[/quote]

I agree! THat's like having a sore throat and having to pay 35 bucks for the piece of paper that says you need to take an antibiotic for 10 days...after you have paid to see your family doc! (Things like this truly are an embarassment to our profession). :angry:

[Breaking Bad]

Practice I am at for New Pts a Comp exam including refraction is $190 . Thats $45 for the refraction and $145 for the Complete check of the eyes. Dialation is included, Photos are $35 extra. Last practice I was at was just a little less.
Makes me wonder about all those "Free Eye Exams" with purchase that we see advertised all the time. Granted we are 90% VSP, so I guess our cash pts are subsidising the cost for our Ins pts. Isn't insurance wonderful!!

~Crazy, Literally :cheers:

Are you working for an OD or MD ?

I work for several places and the OD charges $45.00 for an Exam, including refraction. The MD charges $190.00, and includes refraction as well.

[fvc2020]

Are you working for an OD or MD ?

I work for several places and the OD charges $45.00 for an Exam, including refraction. The MD charges $190.00, and includes refraction as well.

We charge 270.00 for new patient and 225.00 for previous and before any rips me a new one my doctor's exam is no difference than an md. My doctor feels that why should she undervalue her services?

christina

[Andrew Weiss]

I'd first check to see if Canadian or Ontario law specifies that an OD/OMD is required to provide the patient with a copy of the Rx. In the US, it's a requirement. I don't ever assume that the laws are the same north and south of the border. ;)

As to what we charge: at this office, in "urban" North Carolina (quotation-marks only because it's not "urban" by northeast/California standards), it's $142 for a new patient and $107 for existing ones. Again, it depends on where you are in the US as to what's the going rate. And, again, I don't assume that the same rates apply in Canada as they do here.

[Stonegoat]

I'm not sure if charging extra for releasing a copy of the Rx is "legal", however, it is certainly unprofessional in my opinion.

However, I would charge for releasing PDs so someone can get $10 internet glasses.

Kinda gets confusing, doesn't it

[opt2012]

I'm not sure if charging extra for releasing a copy of the Rx is "legal", however, it is certainly unprofessional in my opinion.

However, I would charge for releasing PDs so someone can get $10 internet glasses.

Kinda gets confusing, doesn't it

I agree.. I don't think it's legal, but I don't know the laws everywhere. We never had an issue with people wanting measurements for obtaining glasses on the internet, maybe once or twice that happened and we gave them their PD. If they happen to want bifocals/progressives/etc, they're not getting seg heights.

[eyestrain]

Are you working for an OD or MD ?

I work for several places and the OD charges $45.00 for an Exam, including refraction. The MD charges $190.00, and includes refraction as well.

That OD is an idiot.

[opt2012]

Only $45?? Why?

I have a good friend whose parents are OD's (recently retired). They were working in a Wal-Mart charging something like $55. When they decided to visit a few other offices nearby to see if their prices were competitive, they were floored by how much more everyone was charging!

[Crazy-bout-Optics]

Both of the Doctors that charged in that price range are OD's. I think Doctors that charge around $55 or so either use is as a loss leader to get people into the Optical Shop, or who participate in plans like Eyemed and know they are only going to be reimbursed $35-$45 for their exam, so why bother turning off cash paying patients with high exam prices.

~CBO

[eyestrain]

Both of the Doctors that charged in that price range are OD's. I think Doctors that charge around $55 or so either use is as a loss leader to get people into the Optical Shop, or who participate in plans like Eyemed and know they are only going to be reimbursed $35-$45 for their exam, so why bother turning off cash paying patients with high exam prices.

~CBO

It's that line of reasoning that drives down reimbursements. Why the hell would a vision plan pay more than $45 for an exam when there are doctors who only charge that much to begin with?

[Breaking Bad]

The OD I referred too works with the MD so he refers to him. His practice is located in the not-so-good part of town and the $45.00 is what the market will bear.

And "Eyestrain", he's far from an Idiot, but thank you for the reply anyway :).

[eyestrain]

The OD I referred too works with the MD so he refers to him. His practice is located in the not-so-good part of town and the $45.00 is what the market will bear.

The market only bears that much because that's all he's charging. Either that or he's surrounded by a bunch of like-minded ODs who also don't value their services. When was the last time he raised his fees? How does he know that $45 is all the market will bear?

[kidsparrow]

Has anyone been in this situation? Is this allowed, can an OD really pose an extra charge if the patient wants to purchase elsewhere? This just doesn’t seem right to me.

I appreciate any opinions you may have. In hopes that this thread won’t degenerate into OD’s vs. Opticians, like we’ve all seen in the past. :o

In Ontario, it IS illegal to withold an Rx.

[AdmiralKnight]

I'm not sure if charging extra for releasing a copy of the Rx is "legal", however, it is certainly unprofessional in my opinion.

However, I would charge for releasing PDs so someone can get $10 internet glasses.

Kinda gets confusing, doesn't it

That's different though. A better analogy would be if someone came to your office and payed you $20 for a PD measurement, you took it, then charged them another $10 to write it down. If someone goes to your office, and you tell them the exam is $x, 100% of the people would assume that also meant a copy of your Rx.

I wouldn't be surprised if this was considered a form of fraud. Essentially changing the price for a service after the original price had been agreed on, and the service given.

[kws6000]

Hi all! I need your expert opinion on a recent situation.
Okay, so here we go…
I had a lady come in to purchase new eyewear last week. She hadn’t had her eyes checked in about three years so I recommended that she should get a new eye exam done. She agreed and off she went to the Optometrist office.

She got a full eye exam and paid in full ($110) After the exam she was directed to the dispensary, where she immediately asked for a copy of her prescription (not wanting to waste anyone’s time) The dispenser told her it wouldn’t be a problem but that there would be a $35 charge for it! The lady freaked, (understandably) and now wants to lodge a formal complaint to the college.

Has anyone been in this situation? Is this allowed, can an OD really pose an extra charge if the patient wants to purchase elsewhere? This just doesn’t seem right to me.

I appreciate any opinions you may have. In hopes that this thread won’t degenerate into OD’s vs. Opticians, like we’ve all seen in the past. :o

This is wrong.The OD shouldnt be charging for writing out the rx.This is just nickle and dimeing.

I dont see how this office can get away with this unless they are the only provider in the area.

Even then,the college would stop this in a hurry once a complaint is made.

What city/town are you in?

[snowmonster]

Perhaps we're missing something. Yeah, this looks a little peculiar, but maybe they waive/discount the refraction fee if you get glasses at their office? So maybe their exam price is really $110 + $35 = $145? So if you don't pay for it, you never received the results? Kinda like if you went to Burger King to "have it your way" and then you ordered but didn't pay. You wouldn't receive the Double Whopper with extra cheese and triple may and cardiac stents that you just ordered.

This would seem to be the more logical explanation. I had never thought about doing something like this, but it's interesting. Maybe it's just another way to battle price shopping or internet glasses, etc.

Note: I didn't say it was correct or ethical. I said it was interesting.

[va_optikal]

My goodness, $35.00 for a piece of paper. Granted she can go elsewhere, and of course the practice would frown on that, but in my opinion that patient has already paid for it and a bit high priced as well.
The VA I work in gives the veteran their rx with no questions, and they usually come to me because I'm cheaper then down town. But they can go where they please. I beleive a person has a right to do what they will with it. A regular practioner doesn't tell a pt where to take their meds script to fill. Its just another way to make a buck. Sure dosen't make for return business.

[snowmonster]

Again, if they didn't charge him/her for the refraction to begin with, why would they have to release an Rx for free? We all set our own fees - it's not our job to say $110 for just a basic exam (sans refraction) is too much. I'm guessing this is their situation though, charging extra for the refraction but waiving it if they get glasses at that particular office.

[sharonm516]

This is wrong.The OD shouldnt be charging for writing out the rx.This is just nickle and dimeing.

I dont see how this office can get away with this unless they are the only provider in the area.

Even then,the college would stop this in a hurry once a complaint is made.

What city/town are you in?

I hacve to agree, to charge someone $45 for the RX that was just done is a little ridiculous.
My OD charges start at $110 for new patients and $91 for established patients, includes a refraction and Optos scan (retinal scanning). We dont charge to release a PD or for extra copies of the script, I guess he is old fashioned, his Dad started the practice in 1952 (we are in the same office still) and most of our patients have been coming to us with their families since we opened.

[jczelust]

...First post here, but I have found a lot of valuable offerings on this board and decided to join you and perhaps contribute.

Regarding this discussion...I think this is an obvious diservice to the patient. They will not be coming back to that office again. That patient not only will not refer anybody back, but will be intent on 'bad mouthing' the office.

Not only probably very unethical, just unwise business practice. We are in the business of giving our patients a complete experience. We want them to come back. If someone asks where there's another dispensary, I will certainly let them know, and make them aware that I can help them at any time if they so choose.

In regards to some of these charges for exams, I must admit that I am floored. Exams around $200.00 seems (and I stress seems) very expensive. We charge 90.00 (existing or new) and if we do Optomap then it is $29.00.

I must admit though, we came out of a very retail location, and we still identify with a very different type of competitor.