Affordable Cash-Based Optometry
What is Cash-Based Optometry?
Cash-based Optometry refers to optometric services provided at a fixed rate, without billing insurance.
Why Choose a Cash-Based Provider?
As much as insurance works to provide increased accessibility of care to patients, it often, instead, causes delays in treatment, restriction of care, and increased prices.
Delays in Treatment: When working with insurance companies, providers must contact the company and then wait for approval of the treatment (prior authorization). If the treatment is approved, it must be completed within a certain length of time after the approval was granted, and is permitted a limited number of times in that window.
Restriction of Care: Not only do insurance companies dictate when an individual can be seen, they dictate what someone can be seen for, and what treatments a doctor can prescribe. Unfortunately, what conditions are covered and what treatments can be prescribed tend to follow which conditions and treatments companies will get the most reimbursements for.
Increased prices: Insurance companies also determine how much a provider can be paid for any given procedure or treatment. To combat this, providers generally choose to increase their fees across the board. This means charging more for goods and services. Unfortunately, this price inflation disproportionately falls on the uninsured.
Choosing a cash-based provider allows for consistent, doctor-directed care, at affordable prices.
How Can I Pay for Cash-Based Services?
Here at Renewal Optometry, we accept HSA (health savings account), FSA (flexible spending account), cash, check, and all major credit cards. We also offer personalized interest-free payment plans, and frequently provide our services at discounted prices to increase access to care.
What If I Already Have Insurance?
No worries! Upon request, you will be provided with a receipt that you are welcome to submit to your insurance for “out of network services”. Your insurance company may then reimburse you directly.