Today laser eye surgery has culminated from a medical necessity to a lifestyle choice as many of us want to rid ourselves of the burden of contact lenses or heft eye wear such as glasses. Healthy vision comes at a price and not all of us are able to afford the price tag attached to a LASIK procedure. But thanks to many financing options, cost should not be the reason to scrimp on crystal clear vision. Here are some tips that will help you in financing your laser eye treatment and say good bye to those glasses.
LASIK Surgery through Financing Companies
These days you can choose to pay in affordable, monthly installments for nearly all expensive health related treatments. If you need this option, check with your LASIK surgeon to see if they approve of this payment method before you apply for a loan to finance the LASIK eye surgery.
Many companies offer a variety of plans that can help you pay for your laser eye surgery. Plans range from three months of payment installments to extended monthly payments payable up to a period of five years. You can spread out these payments for a specified period of time without incurring additional costs. Also plans offer you a short term loan with no interest charged. Interest payments will be applicable for a more flexible payment period. You can check with your financing company to choose the plan that best suits your budget needs.
Ways to Apply for LASIK Finance
When applying for credit for LASIK, it is a simple and easy process just like any other loan. You can also seek assistance from your LASIK surgeon who can recommend financing companies that can help you pay for your LASIK treatment. In most cases insurance does not cover the procedure. Some specialized vision plans can be added on to insurance to help with coverage. Laws change annually so check with your insurance company before proceeding with financing. In some situations how the doctor words the prescription may help to get it partially covered by insurance. Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna and Cigna, which is part of ObamaCare, do cover the procedure if they have contacted your doctor. These vision plans do cover the procedure according to the Laser Eye Institute:
Davis Vision
Spectera
EyeMed
Humana
NVA
Cole Vision
VSP
You may be required to submit the application in person or ask your surgeon for an application form if they facilitate financing of this treatment through these companies. A general credit check happens. You would be required to submit the information about the surgeon who would treat your vision correction and their estimated cost for treatment.
Financing Proved by LASIK Surgeons
Some surgeons may also be capable of providing you with financing options from their own practices. However, there are also some who have a good relationship with large financing corporations to help pay for LASIK surgery. The ones who provide their own financing do not charge interest on the loan amount. You can consider this option if the surgeon is reputed and board certified like those surgeons at Sugarland Eye & Laser Center in Houston.
Flexible Spending Accounts
FSAs are one of the best and most effective ways to pay for your surgery. They are tax free and you can use your pre-tax income to pay for the surgical costs. Opt for an interest free LASIK self-financing option by saving a portion of your salary in a tax free FSA account to pay for your surgery. This money will be made available to you once you are ready for the procedure.
Sources:
http://www.sugarlandeye.com/about/affordability/
http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/LASIK-financing.htm
www.lasereyeinstitute.com
Sugarland Eye & Laser Center leads in providing premium LASIK technologies to Houston, Sugar Land, and the surrounding region. The Center’s award-winning medical director introduced revolutionary technologies such as iLASIK to the region. This technology is used by NASA astronauts, Navy SEALS and Air Force fighter pilots. At Sugarland Eye & Laser Center, you can now receive the same treatment. For more information, please call (281) 240-0478 or visit us at www.houston-lasik.com.
About the Author
Amjad Khokhar, M.D. is Chief LASIK Surgeon at Sugarland Eye & Laser Center. Add Dr. Khokhar on Google+ here.
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