Vision Plans and Medical Insurance

Insurance in eye care is unique because optometric physicians are providers for both vision plans and medical insurances.  Sometimes we don't know which will be billed until you are in the office.  Your chief complaint, or reason for the visit, dictates which insurance applies.  Medical insurance is often used for specialized testing as well.  

Vision Plans are used for the following chief complaints:

•  "I just want a checkup"
•  "I want contact lenses"
•  "I need my glasses prescription updated"
•  "Things look blurry" (caused by a refractive error, like nearsightedness, where glasses or contact lenses can correct the blur)

Medical insurance is used for the following chief complaints:

•  "My eyes itch"
•  "I'm diabetic and need my eyes examined"
•  "I have a red eye,"
•  "My eyes are dry"
•  "Things look blurry" (caused by a medical condition, like cataracts, where glasses won’t correct the blur)