Exam fees?

[Texas Ranger]

A personal friend called me at home, had made an exam appointment with a local MD for his wife(she's never worn glasses). In the day's mail he got a letter from the MD say that failure to show for the exam would be a $25 fee, and on his voice mail was a message that the doctor's office had not recieved a referral from his "primary care doctor".(he doesn't have insurance). Now Tom askes me if "$150 was normal for a routine exam for glasses?". I told him that I didn't know of anyone charging that much, he saw the same doc 18 months ago and said it was $100 than, and he "never saw the doctor..the tech did the whole exam and wrote the rx." the MD at that time charged $25 extra to take a written Rx out of his office, unless they bought glasses from his optical shop, now his fee is $50 higher, but he doesn't charge extra for the written rx. the average fee for other MD's in the area is about $90. Now, do you fellow opticians know what doctors in your market are charging for an eye exam. Oh, the OD next door to us charges $45, plus $20 for dilating. Some opinions???

[EyeManFla]

Overpricing by MDs over ODs is standard.
Here in Florida, it is very common to go to an MD and get charged $125.00 when the OD down the street is charging $50-60. And many,many times, it's a Dr's tech that is doing the refraction.

It's simple...if you want a basic eyeglass exam....don't go to an MD!

[Diane]

Al,

It appears that this doctor may have been in violation of the FTC Eyeglass prescription release rule. Can't charge differently, can't charge for an Rx to leave the office, etc. You know the stuff. Maybe changing his policies because he got turned in or threatened. EACH violation could be up to a $10,000 fine.

What we can't control is what they charge in the first place, and that is a little high, but not all that high from an MD.

I'd like to see something done about those docs that violate the prescription release rule, EVERY DARN DAY. Either by Not writing the Rx, or refusing to release it, or actually charging extra for it. The FTC RULE states that a copy of the prescription is to be written by the doctor and given to the patient immediately after the exam, (not by a staff person), and no extra charge is to be charged for this. It is also supposed to be done, without the patient requesting a copy of the Rx.

OH WELL,

Diane

[Texas Ranger]

Diane, thanks for your input! the same docs were charging $70 two years ago. They probably have had lots of complaints, but there aren't a lot of our pts going to pay double. Oh, I got a flyer about your Georgia Southern meeting, looks like a really great effort! Al.

[Vicki]

Around here, the exam fee done by a MD goes from $105.00 - $180.00. But like EyeMan said, usually the refraction is done by a tech and not the MD which to me makes it hard to warrant charging that much. Our OD charges $49.00 plus $15.00 for dilation.

[harry888]

Medicare alloweable is now over $120 for a comprehensive eye exam.

You must charge the cash patients the same amount you bill Medicare.

So, Medicare heavy practices tend to be high for the cash patient.

Harry

[Carol D]

Al,
That seems a little steep to me. I have seen San Antonio MD exams from $85 - $135. Most of them are running $105. Tell your friend to cancel his appointment and shop around.

Carol

[PAkev]

Al,

You may want to tell your friend to inquire what the exam includes and who will be performing the services. A refraction, tonometry, and dialation can justify a higher fee and may be a good idea if your friends wife hasn't been in an exam chair for a long time. If she gets a good report, a less expensive alternative may be in order next time.

In addition, many MD's are not heavily into retinoscopy as they are pathology and therefore if she believes that all she needs is eyewear, then and OD may be the person to see. If there are any apparent problems, hopefully the OD will refer her off to an MD.
However, if there is any history of visual problems, she may have better peace of mind by seeing the MD first.

[chip anderson]

Pity if they get this for a $25.00 eye exam, that we are still getting the same fees for contacts we were getting in 1948. No wonder I don't love this business as much s I used to.

Even my barber gets $11.00 for what used to be a 50 cent hair cut in '48.

[Joann Raytar]

Up here we average between $85 and $140 for an MD exam and $65 to $75 at an OD's office with dialation.

[eyedude]

Isn't a Florida law that OD's have to do a dilation as part of the exam? If so how can you justify charging extra.

[allanon]

According to the 1978 Eyeglasses I ruling by the FTC:

1. The doctor must offer a copy of the spectacle prescription to the patient at the conclusion of the examination
2. A doctor can charge a fee for writing a prescription if all patients are charged a fee for this service (and not just those patients who choose to obtain their spectacles elsewhere).

Failure to conform to the provisions of the rule is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 per offense, but there have been no efforts by the FTC to date (89) to enforce the rule...aka there have been no prosecutions by the federal government (As of 1989).

Brian
UAB School of Optometry http://uabso.com

[Jeff Trail]

Eyedude,

I think, you & I are the only ones from FL. posting in this thread and yes in FL. an OD is "required" to dialate.
I thin we are also one of the few states that takes that xtra step and makes the OD/MD partially liable for a released RX NO matter what happens. This is a fairly scary thing considering all the nut jobs who take an RX and go searching for contacts like they were buying M&M's.
Oh and have you seen the latest "world" ads? FREE eyeglasses/ FREE exam.. hmm I wondered who won the lottery and could give BOTH the exam and the glasses away for "FREE"


Jeff "Ethic's and optic's..two things that do NOT seem to mix any longer" Trail

[tmtaylo]

OUR DR. CHARGES $49...THE OTHER DAY I HAD A PT. COME IN AND REQUEST HER MONEY BACK BECAUSE SHE WENT DOWN THE ROAD AND A DR. TOLD HER HER RX WAS WRONG. SO I CALLED AND ASKED FOR HER RX TO BE FAXED TO US BUT NO FAX CAME..I THEN CALLED BACK AND THE DR. GOT ON THE PHONE AND SAID HE HAD GIVEN HER A RX...WHAT I SAW WAS A RX WROTE ON A POST NOTE,IT DIDN'T HAVE DATE OR SIGNATURE. I TOLD HIM THIS AND HE WAS VERY RUDE AND SAID IF HE WANTS TOO HE CAN WRITE IT ON A PIECE OF TOILET PAPER! DR.'S KNOW THE LAWS-THEY JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH I GUESS!! FTC WILL CATCH UP WITH THEM SOONER OR LATER.