Many people who are considering LASIK eye surgery have one concern in mind: Is LASIK covered by insurance? The short answer is that LASIK laser eye surgery is an elective procedure that is not normally covered by insurance coverage. However, there are methods to help cover the expense of LASIK laser eye surgery. For LASIK patients in the United States and Canada, financing solutions are available. We’ll go through some of the most common ways to pay for LASIK surgery in the sections ahead.
How can I get my insurance to pay for LASIK?
Working with a surgeon in your preferred provider network might help you get the most out of your procedure. Add-on vision insurance coverage can be purchased to further reduce the cost. If you plan ahead and set aside pre-taxed cash, health savings accounts (HSA) and flexible spending accounts (FSA) can help you pay for LASIK.
What insurance is best for LASIK?
If you wear glasses or contact lenses, having a separate vision insurance policy makes sense. Given the high cost of corrective lenses, the coverage frequently pays for itself. Even if you don’t require vision correction right now, frequent vision care is critical for your general health.
There are many different types of vision insurance, and this collection includes options for all budgets. For example, we chose Vision Service Plan as our overall vision insurance provider because, as an industry leader, they offer plans with low copays and high allowances that are affordable for most people.
If you prefer laser surgery to glasses or contacts, UnitedHealthcare, our top pick for LASIK, offers a discount of up to 35 percent.
Consider Direct Vision if money is an issue. They provide insurance starting as $9 per month, making them the greatest option for those on a tight budget.
Finally, for individuals who wear contact lenses, EyeMed came out on top with its hefty $200 contact lens allowance and broad provider network.
Can you negotiate LASIK cost?
You might be able to reduce the cost of LASIK surgery. For LASIK and other vision operations, several eye care practices provide unique prices and incentives.
According to a 2019 poll of refractive surgeons in the United States, about 29% of them provided some type of special price. Among the surgeons:
For elective operations like LASIK, there are financial businesses that offer set rates and long-term payment plans. These companies offer financing plans to many LASIK surgical centers and private medical practices.
The majority of medical and vision insurance companies do not cover LASIK because it is an elective operation. Some businesses, on the other hand, negotiate for special discounts for their employees at specific surgery sites.
Some large employers also provide subsidized health plans that cover the cost of LASIK surgery in part. Inquire with your employer about any benefits that may be available to support these corrective eye surgery procedures.
Short and Long-Term Results of LASIK
We must look at both long-term and short-term LASIK results to answer the question “how long does LASIK last?”
You should expect immediate benefits from your LASIK procedure in the short term. In just 4 to 5 hours following surgery, you will notice an improvement in clarity. You can resume your normal activities with your new and better vision after allowing your eyes to rest for a day or two.
Many people, however, are curious about LASIK after ten years. Some folks may notice some blurriness return as time passes. This can happen as a result of age-related changes, but it can be remedied.
The majority of people will always be able to see the results of their LASIK procedure. After ten years, some people may require augmentation LASIK surgery. The cause for this varies based on the age at which LASIK was performed and the state of one’s vision.
Can LASIK Wear Off?
There is a misconception that LASIK wears off after ten years. However, LASIK is an irreversible procedure. The vision prescription you have at the moment of surgery is permanently corrected with LASIK. This means that it will not degrade with time. However, underlying disorders such as presbyopia might create changes in your eyesight over time, making the original LASIK treatment less effective.
For example, as you get older, the crystalline lens of your eye stiffens, resulting in presbyopia, a visual problem that makes it harder to focus on near-sighted objects. This is where the age at which you receive LASIK surgery has an impact on whether or not it is permanent.
Another reason your eyesight may alter is if you have an underlying medical issue like cataracts that develops. Although many individuals believe that LASIK surgery can prevent cataracts, many people nonetheless develop them. After LASIK eye surgery, growing cataracts might impair your vision’s clarity, necessitating further vision correction.
LASIK Enhancement After 10 Years
If the effects of LASIK begin to fade after ten years, your doctor may recommend LASIK enhancement surgery. After ten years, the technique for LASIK surgery enhancement is nearly comparable to the initial operation. Instead of creating a new flap in the eye, the surgeon will lift the old one and make minor adjustments to the cornea as needed.
According to a study that looked at the long-term effects of LASIK, 35% of LASIK patients needed LASIK augmentation after ten years. Most of the time, LASIK surgery must be repeated after 10 years due to an underlying condition that causes vision to alter over time, such as cataracts or presbyopia.
Other vision correction treatments, such as LASIK, may be required if your vision changes. Finally, your ophthalmologist will be able to best advise you based on your specific circumstances.
Why you should not get LASIK?
If you have dry eyes, you should be aware that LASIK surgery may aggravate your condition. Pupils that are large. LASIK may not be recommended if your pupils are big, especially in dim light. Glare, halos, starbursts, and ghost images are all possible side effects after surgery.
How much does LASIK cost?
LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a popular vision correction procedure for those who are farsighted, nearsighted, or astigmatic.
This laser operation, which reshapes the cornea so that light traveling through it is appropriately focused on the retina, is performed on about 700,000 people each year. After the treatment, which was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998, roughly 96 percent of patients will attain their desired vision.
If you or someone you know is considering LASIK, it’s critical to understand not only the procedure’s benefits and risks, but also the financial costs.
How much did LASIK cost?
The Cost of LASIK Eye Surgery on an Average. The cost of LASIK eye surgery varies greatly, ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 for each eye. According to a paper published in Clinical Ophthalmology in 2021, the average cost of LASIK surgery in the United States in 2020 was $2,632 per eye.
When is LASIK medically necessary?
The great majority of people in the United States suffer from vision difficulties. Almost seventy-five percent of Americans use vision correction in some way. According to one study, 40% of people have vision problems by the age of 30 (after which our eyesight rapidly deteriorates), and over 90% of people need vision correction by the age of 55.
For some people, LASIK surgery appears to be the best option. The ultimate decision is typically based on the following question: Will my health insurance cover it?
Unfortunately, unless LASIK is declared the only medical option for treating a serious eye disease, refractive surgery is unlikely to be covered by your health insurance policy. But let’s take a closer look at the problem.
What Is LASIK?
LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a type of “refractive surgery” that corrects vision problems (a procedure that corrects vision). Following a Russian eye surgeon’s discovery that cutting the cornea enhanced vision, the science underlying LASIK came together in the United States in the late 1980s. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the technique in the late 1990s, and it is now the most popular elective surgery in the United States.
Until the 1950s, the only way to correct vision was to wear glasses. Contact lenses were fully introduced in the 1970s, and became globally popular in the 1990s. Contact lenses are now worn by 10% of the population, or more than 30 million people in the United States.
People with vision problems now have a variety of alternatives for improving their vision thanks to LASIK and comparable treatments such as RK (radial keratotomy) and PRK (photorefractive keratectomy).
The cornea, the transparent window at the front of the eye, is altered by LASIK. The method is described as follows by the Mayo Clinic: A laser is used to remove tissue from the cornea during Lasik surgery. A surgeon cuts a movable flap away from the front of the eye to access the cornea. The surgeon then replaces the flap after reshaping the cornea with a second laser. The majority of people’s vision improves quickly, and it improves even more in a week or two as the eye stabilizes.
LASIK, RK, and PRK are all considered safe surgical procedures, despite how frightening it may sound to discharge lasers into your eyes. For people who no longer want to cope with the inconveniences and costs of wearing glasses or contacts, any of them could be a viable solution. It is possible to save a significant amount of money on vision assistance items if you choose to get laser eye surgery or another vision correction operation. However, the surgery is unlikely to be paid by insurance.
Coverage for LASIK Is Rare
In most cases, health insurers will only cover the cost of glasses or contacts. Dr. Charles R. Moore, the founder of International EyeCare in Houston, Texas, said, “Insurance has taken the position that LASIK is cosmetic.”
Your health-care provider will almost certainly cover some or all of the cost of glasses. However, if you choose a high-end designer pair or require bi-focal glasses, you will almost certainly have to pay a significant amount of the cost out of pocket. Similarly, while many experts consider shining lasers into your eyes to improve your vision a health-related treatment, insurers rarely consider high-end refractive surgery to be medically required.
Keep in mind that LASIK can save you money even if you don’t have insurance to cover the cost of the procedure, especially if you buy high-end contact lenses, designer spectacles, or special bi-focal lenses.
How Much Does LASIK Cost?
LASIK surgery costs will almost certainly have to be paid out of pocket, whether you’re insured, underinsured, or completely uninsured (at least in part).
LASIK procedure was expected to cost roughly $3,000 per eye in 2020. LASIK can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000 per eye, depending on the procedure. Be wary of suppliers who advertise LASIK surgery for as little as $300 – you’ll almost always be faced with extra prices later.
As previously stated, LASIK surgery is unlikely to be covered by vision insurance. Most vision plans include fixed costs for eye exams and glasses, but none of the main vision plans provide fixed rates for refractive LASIK procedure. If you require LASIK as a consequence of an injury, certain companies may provide coverage. Finally, for the vast majority of people, the final cost will be determined by your current prescription as well as your physician. (To entice customers, many LASIK surgeons provide substantial discounts off the listed price.)
Some doctors advertise a single-day LASIK treatment that fixes both eyes for a set, fixed price. Beware. The FDA does not encourage such partnerships because it is concerned that doctors will take corners, such as failing to provide adequate follow-up treatment. The FDA advises consumers to compare different providers before undergoing LASIK surgery to prevent receiving substandard care.
Vision Insurance
If your health insurance company runs its own vision plan, it may have a special deal with a local LASIK practice. For further information, contact your service provider.
It’s possible that your health insurer has outsourced its vision benefits to one of the main standalone vision care plans:
- With approved providers, Davis Vision offers considerable discounts ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per eye.
- VSP has negotiated savings with their network, which range from $1,000 to $3,000 per eye for LASIK.
- If you use a doctor in a certain network, EyeMed will give you a 15% discount off standard LASIK rates or a 5% discount off promotional prices.
Out-of-Pocket
You can, of course, pay for your own refractive surgery. Many doctors accept payments on a monthly basis. LASIK providers, on the other hand, may provide a significant reduction if you pay your payment in full with cash.
Before you go on your own, make sure to check with your insurer to see if they give any kind of compensation.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
FSAs offer a number of tax benefits, the most important of which is that you can contribute pre-tax cash from your paycheck to cover future medical expenses. You can utilize your FSA to cover all or part of the cost of refractive surgery if your employer offers one. To see how much of the amount is considered a qualifying medical expense, check with your specific FSA plan.
The maximum FSA contribution for 2020 is $2,750, which means you may need to contribute the maximum amount for more than a year to pay the procedure.
Union or Labor Health Insurance
Refractive surgery is sometimes covered in part by comprehensive labor union health insurance. Some specialty unions, such as the one for operating engineers, consider corrected vision to be a requirement for employment and will contribute $1,000 to the procedure’s cost. So, before you go shopping for care, always verify with your employer’s health coverage.
Medicare and Medicaid
Refractive surgery is not covered by Medicare or Medicaid unless it is medically necessary. The following are examples of medical conditions that necessitate the procedure:
- If the patient’s physical constraints prevent him or her from using glasses or contact lenses,
When Medicare or Medicaid contracts with an outside company to offer vision services, that organization will most likely steer you to their favored doctors for a discount.
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard
Members of the military services are not uncommon to have refractive surgery, albeit they may have to queue and wait. Because glasses are cumbersome and contact lenses are often outlawed in conflict zones, the government recognizes the need of improving your vision before deployment.
In the military, PRK is more common than LASIK, but both procedures are available. The policy for enlistees seeking refractive surgery varies by branch. An active duty service member can inquire about specifics by contacting their chain of command. Once you leave the military, however, you and your family are no longer eligible for LASIK through the VA.
If You Have a Serious Eye Condition
Of course, if you have major vision problems that can only be cured with LASIK or other refractive surgery, your health insurance will cover the operation just like any other medically necessary therapy. In most cases, insurers will require a complete diagnosis from an ophthalmologist or certified physician explaining why glasses or contact lenses are not a viable solution.
Are Retreatments or Complications from LASIK Covered?
Within the first year following your LASIK procedure, most doctors will provide free surgical follow-ups. However, other issues may be billed at your doctor’s discretion. It’s always a good idea to question the surgeon about post-operative care and common complications before the operation. To protect yourself, obtain the agreement in writing.
Keep in mind that a retreatment may be required in five or 10 years; this is not uncommon.
The vast majority of patients should be able to relax and enjoy clearer vision once their eyes have recovered following LASIK. However, there is always the possibility of problems with any medical procedure. Dry eyes, for example, might develop into a chronic condition.
Furthermore, there is a slight probability of a traumatic eye injury, such as corneal scarring. If this happens, your vision insurance would most likely cover your follow-up care.
In general, LASIK surgery improves the lives of many patients, however they will most likely have to pay out of pocket for the convenience of not having to wear contacts or glasses. Whether you’re thinking about getting the treatment, do your research, find a trustworthy doctor, and check with your insurance to see if you’re covered.
Does LASIK fix astigmatism?
“LASIK surgery allows people to see clearly without the use of glasses or contact lenses. It can correct astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness.” Robert L. is a well-known author.