I hope you love what you do because

[HOLLYWOOD]

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because the fee's that we get paid are so low. I would like to know what other od's are getting paid on eye exams from vision plans and major medical ins. An average please.

 

[stevec]

You can always just not accept the sucky insurance plans. That's what most doctors do.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

In South Carolina, Medicare tends to pay the best with an established patient comprehensive exam right at $90 with a new patient exam running about $120. Medicaid pays the worst at $50 and $35 respectively. VSP pays about $70 (includes exam fee and refraction fee) and Davis pays around $60 for the same.

 

[RLK]

In South Carolina, Medicare tends to pay the best with an established patient comprehensive exam right at $90 with a new patient exam running about $120. Medicaid pays the worst at $50 and $35 respectively. VSP pays about $70 (includes exam fee and refraction fee) and Davis pays around $60 for the same.

Do you take welfare insurance? The pharmacy I work at gets a lot of business from people on welfare. I've seen people come in and get 10 free prescriptions that welfare pays for. The government sure doesn't give these people much of a reason to want to work.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

You can always just not accept the sucky insurance plans. That's what most doctors do.

well most plans stink. in my area the only plan worth taking is vsp they pay $67 for a comp. exam and refraction. as far as medicare is concerned they pay the best. Major medical fees really vary $35 to $70 for the same code.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Do you take welfare insurance? The pharmacy I work at gets a lot of business from people on welfare. I've seen people come in and get 10 free prescriptions that welfare pays for. The government sure doesn't give these people much of a reason to want to work.

I don't know what one has to do to qualify for Medicaid, but in SC on medicaid you get 8 doctor visits and 1 eye exam per year and 4 prescriptions per month with only a $2 co-pay on Dr. visits. Children get one pair of glasses per year under Medicaid. We also take Lions Club (free exam and the charity covers glasses), but these people really are just down on their luck and are so grateful for the care they get that its worth it.

 

[Tom_Stickel]

Do you take welfare insurance? The pharmacy I work at gets a lot of business from people on welfare. I've seen people come in and get 10 free prescriptions that welfare pays for. The government sure doesn't give these people much of a reason to want to work.

RLK,

I don't know how other states are, but here in Missouri very few people take Medicaid (welfare insurance). I know dentists in Illinois and Indiana can make a killing on welfare patients because the reimbursements are good, but Medicaid reimbursements for eye exams and materials are usually not very good at all

Also here in Missouri, Medicaid eye exams and glasses for adults very nearly got slashed out of the budget completely.

Bottom line: don't expect to make a lot of money on Medicaid patients in optometry, regardless of what your pharmacy and dental friends tell you. Remember also that Medicaid is a state administered program, so things might be better in your state for optometry. But you'd better ask an OD first.

Tom Stickel
Indiana U. 2001

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

medicaid in my state pay's $30 for an eye exam, $6 for a frame, $11 for sv lenses, $2 for a case, and $10 dispensing

 

[a1bui]

If you don't mind me asking, what is everyone making on average a year from those fees? Personal incomes, not business. Just curious, thanks.

 

[RLK]

I read somewhere (forget where) that the average salary for optometry is $85,000. Was this about correct or too high, or too low?

 

[Envision]

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos073.htm

good ball park.

 

[cpw]

I read somewhere (forget where) that the average salary for optometry is $85,000. Was this about correct or too high, or too low?

too low

 

[jchod]

too low

For an "AVERAGE", yes that number is right on. I do know several making 3x that, as well as several making far lower than 85. Right out of school I think 75k is a better "average".

 

[aphistis]

I know dentists in Illinois and Indiana can make a killing on welfare patients because the reimbursements are good, but Medicaid reimbursements for eye exams and materials are usually not very good at all.

Incorrect. Medicaid reimburses for only a few dental procedures, it doesn't reimburse very much for those, and the patients are almost universally a pain in the gluteals since they have no incentive to take an active role in their own care.

You've raised a lot of stink here about me making comments about optometry, Tom. If you want to keep talking about dentistry, be my guest, but get ready to see a lot more of me if you do.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Incorrect. Medicaid reimburses for only a few dental procedures, it doesn't reimburse very much for those, and the patients are almost universally a pain in the gluteals since they have no incentive to take an active role in their own care.

You've raised a lot of stink here about me making comments about optometry, Tom. If you want to keep talking about dentistry, be my guest, but get ready to see a lot more of me if you do.

This may have just been rumor, but I think I remember reading that dentists in some northern state had to be required by law to see Medicaid patients because they had refused to do it on their own due to low reimbursement. New Jersey maybe?

I don't think anyone makes much money seeing Medicaid patients.