Re: Choosing a contact lens

All this is very interesting, but I did not see where the patient
mentioned cost as a factor, but simply wanted to know what would be the
"best" lens for his situation. My assumption would be that his eye doc
would slip him a trial lens or two to get him through the next two or
three months. One box of Purevision is about half the price of one RGP
lens in my practice.

I, too, have been leaning towards separating fees from materials,
particularly with my specialty lenses where I anticipate using several
lenses during the fitting process, and where the length or duration of
the process is somewhat open-ended.

DrG

William Stacy wrote:
> Dr Judy wrote:
>
> > In Ontario, where I practise, health professionals are required by law to
> > provide materials at cost and to provide itemized receipts showing fees
> > separate from materials, so my fee is shown separate on the receipt. It
> > creates confusion for the patients since opticians and Internet have a price
> > with mark up included and no fee.
>
> ok so now it appears that your "markup" is called a "material cost fee"
> Correct?
>
> your progress check is your professional evaluation fee. Right?
>
> so what exactly is the dispensing fee for? I'd guess it's for ordering,
> checking and handing the CLs to the patient?
>
> >
> > As examples, if a patient had a cl progress check and ordered contacts,
> > there would be a fee for the progress check, a fee for dispensing and a
> > material cost fee. If the patient doesn't order the contacts, then there
> > is just the progress check fee.
>
> Understood.
>
> If the material was changed, then there
> > would be a refit fee (higher) instead of the progress check fee.
>
> Same ideas as my "refit different type" versus "refit same type",
> respectively.
>
> So I don't
> > get a "refit" fee if the patient simply orders the same lenses from
> > elsewhere, but I also don't think I do any extra work for that patient so
> > shouldn't get the fee.
>
> This is where we part company, I think. If the patient is simply
> refilling a valid, unexpired Rx, agreed. I'm not doing anything,
> including picking up a phone. But if the Rx is expired, and I do an
> evaluation, and the patient wants a new Rx (e.g. for another year), now
> I'm doing something extra, something more than just an evaluation.
>
> If the patient has trouble with the "from elsewhere"
> > lenses, the patient would pay me to diagnose the problem and then deal with
> > the supplier, not with me, if the problem is quality control.
> >
>
> Does your refit fee include a followup eval, even if the lenses were
> purchased elsewhere?
>
> > Most of our patients have a contact lens service agreement with us -- one
> > yearly fee that covers all their cl services, entitles them to lenses and
> > solutions at cost and provides a discount on glasses.
>
> Do you do the same thing with glasses (at cost plus a material cost
> fee)? Is the discount on the materials, the fee or both?
>
> w.stacy, o.d.

.

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