Initial Examination Fee / Consultation - $195
- $195.00 for initial evaluation, consultation, slit-lamp examination and dilated examination of the retina and vitreous cavity. This one-time only initial fee is due regardless of whether laser is performed or not.This thorough examination takes about one hour. The goal is to assess the health of the eye and retina, to visualize the floater(s), and determine the "treatability" and prognosis for treatment success. We block off enough time at this visit to go ahead and treat if you wish. It is your choice. This fees is paid once and applies whether floaters are in one or both eyes.
Standard Initial Treatment Fee- $1418/eye
- Most treatments take are about the same duration: about 40-60 minutes of actual laser time. Each shot is individually aimed, assessed for safety, and triggered. The procedure requires sustained, intense concentration and meticulous attention to laser focus location in a small 3-dimensional space. Compared to LASIK, it requires a very different, and we think, more difficult skill set. Dr. Johnson has fired the laser over 400,000 times treating floaters only and has the only practice in the world exclusively treating vitreous floaters. This fee is PER eye treated
Retreatment of Same Eye - $180
- Any subsequent treatments in the same eye will be charged a facility/laser fee at $180 per session even though it requires about the same amount of time and concentration and laser shots compared to the initial treatment. Unlike one other floater treatment specialist, I do not set an expiration to the touch ups. If you return 6 or 18 months later for a light touch up, I will do so at your original touch up fee and not consider you a new patient. As a general guideline, most floater treatments will require more than one treatment. The Weiss ring / isolated floaters typically may only take one or two treatments. Larger, diffuse, vitreal condensations may take 3-4 treatment sessions or rarely, several. This fee is PER eye treated per session.
Unsuccessful Treatment Effort / Attempted Treatment - $500
- Occasionally, We have attempted to treat a floater or floaters that were difficult or impossible or ultimately unsafe to treat. There may be a combination of factors that influence this, some anticipated, some not. Small pupils, previous cataract surgery, large myopic eyes, peripheral locations, proximity to the retina or lens are some common factors making treatment difficult, or very inefficient. We try to anticipate this situation, but sometimes it is unavoidable. We feel that the surgeon's effort for that hour or so should be compensated but we don't think it is fair to charge the full treatment fee. For this situation we charge a $500 laser/facility use fee. We try to avoid this situation if at all possible.
OUR 7% CASH DISCOUNT PROGRAM - SAVE $113 !!
- It costs us to use credit card merchant services (Credit Card and/or Debit Card). If we can avoid these banking/processing fees, we will pass the savings to you. A first visit and treatment of one eye will total $1613. A 7% discount will bring the total to $1500.00. A savings of $113. This discount applies to cash, and personal checks. The discount applies to the initial treatment of one or both eyes even if on separate days. It does not apply to the consultation or re-treatment procedures.
IS IT COVERED BY MEDICAL INSURANCE?
INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT: We request payment at the time of service and do not accept direct assignment payment from medical insurance carriers. We will provide documentation for you to submit to your medical (not optical) insurance carrier. If you would like to know how much your insurance company will reimburse you, it is your responsibility to call them and ask. You might consider contacting your insurance carrier prior to treatment to see what they will reimburse.
OTHERS PRACTICES MAY CLAIM THAT INSURANCE PAYS FOR IT but they may have to come after the patient later for the difference (or total fees) if the insurance company decides the procedure is not covered. We prefer to keep the practice and business structure simple. We don't want to hire people just for billing, accounts receivable, collection reminders, or hiring collection agencies. We want to focus on the treatment delivery and the advancement of this procedure in the ophthalmology community.
HOW DO YOU MAKE A CLAIM? After treatment, we will provide you with the following:
- Invoice/receipt: shows amounts paid, pertinent diagnostic and treatment insurance codes, corporate identifying information, etc.
- Operative report: a description of the procedure performed
- Letter of Medical Necessity: A letter describing the indications of the procedure, the alternatives to treatment, the pertinent codes used, as well as medical journal references.
Any other paperwork or support documents requested by your insurer will gladly be provided to them at no charge to help support your claim.
Download our Letter of Medical Necessity
Insurance Rejection Appeal Letter: Trying to appeal an insurance rejection? One of my patients familiar with the insurance business submitted this letter and got a favorable judgement on appeal to their insurer.
Insurance Rejection Appeal Letter in Word 2003 format. Fill in thedetails as needed.
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