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Ok, so I have vision "coverage" through my work. I was looking through the plan details, trying to see what was covered because I've been getting frequent headaches and have noticed that I have to squint more to see things. Time for new glasses.
I have a really strong prescription. I haven't gotten an exam since I gradauted college, because I don't have the student insurance anymore, and since there was an optometry school on campus, I was able to get free exams every year because I let students practice on me, etc, etc. They also provided nice student discounts to the student health insurance members on frames and lenses. And when you have bad vision, that's a blessing.
well, first thing that should've made me pause. This plan my company has? It doesn't cover the exam. It's a materials only plan. BUT, for a $15 copay, according to the insurance card I've got, frames up to $100 are covered AND lenses are covered.
Ok, fine. Call around, get prices, and settle on the "cheapest" eye exam place, at $55 that I could get to by bus fairly easily. It happens to be right by a Target optical, and they have decent frames, and the staff was friendly. I even tried on several pair, they let me take pictures, and I asked opinions on what would look best. I was getting kind of excited because, hey, I can get new glasses, I'll be able to SEE, and won't have so many headaches! Yay!
I went this morning for the exam. Got checked out. Found out my prescription worsened a bit, no surprise. Also learned I've developed an astigmatism in the last few years (been about 4 years since my last exam). Joy. But, hey, I pay, and wince because $55? That to several months for me to save up for...
The doctor told me that with my prescription, I need to seriously look into hi-index lenses with an a/r coating, (which apparently is what I've been wearing, so yay me?). Also, I need frames with panascopic tilt, and preferably with silicone nose pieces. Because of the shape of my eyes, and the shape of my face, as well as the strength of the prescription, these will work best for me, and help with the vision problems I have.
So, I sit down with the Target optical lady, and of all the frames I tried on, she showed me the pair that they could adjust the nosepieces and the panasonic tilt on. Then she sat down and started tabulating, after getting my insurance info faxed to her.
Yeah, turns out the lens coverage? ONLY basic, uncoated, untreated, plastic lenses. Which is NOT available in my prescription.
Total cost (minus the frames, which are $95) = $379
Total amount I'd have to pay immediately out of pocket? $215.
Yeah, insurance wouldn't even pay for HALF.
I can't afford that. At all. I'm so screwed, and feel like I wasted the $55 for nothing, because it's not like I can afford new glasses for the prescription. I pretty much wandered around Target afterwards trying not to cry. But, really. Some insurance coverage. I knew my company was a bunch of stingy assholes, but why are they calling it insurance coverage, when it literally covers NOTHING?
I just needed to rant. And sniffle a bit.
I have a really strong prescription. I haven't gotten an exam since I gradauted college, because I don't have the student insurance anymore, and since there was an optometry school on campus, I was able to get free exams every year because I let students practice on me, etc, etc. They also provided nice student discounts to the student health insurance members on frames and lenses. And when you have bad vision, that's a blessing.
well, first thing that should've made me pause. This plan my company has? It doesn't cover the exam. It's a materials only plan. BUT, for a $15 copay, according to the insurance card I've got, frames up to $100 are covered AND lenses are covered.
Ok, fine. Call around, get prices, and settle on the "cheapest" eye exam place, at $55 that I could get to by bus fairly easily. It happens to be right by a Target optical, and they have decent frames, and the staff was friendly. I even tried on several pair, they let me take pictures, and I asked opinions on what would look best. I was getting kind of excited because, hey, I can get new glasses, I'll be able to SEE, and won't have so many headaches! Yay!
I went this morning for the exam. Got checked out. Found out my prescription worsened a bit, no surprise. Also learned I've developed an astigmatism in the last few years (been about 4 years since my last exam). Joy. But, hey, I pay, and wince because $55? That to several months for me to save up for...
The doctor told me that with my prescription, I need to seriously look into hi-index lenses with an a/r coating, (which apparently is what I've been wearing, so yay me?). Also, I need frames with panascopic tilt, and preferably with silicone nose pieces. Because of the shape of my eyes, and the shape of my face, as well as the strength of the prescription, these will work best for me, and help with the vision problems I have.
So, I sit down with the Target optical lady, and of all the frames I tried on, she showed me the pair that they could adjust the nosepieces and the panasonic tilt on. Then she sat down and started tabulating, after getting my insurance info faxed to her.
Yeah, turns out the lens coverage? ONLY basic, uncoated, untreated, plastic lenses. Which is NOT available in my prescription.
Total cost (minus the frames, which are $95) = $379
Total amount I'd have to pay immediately out of pocket? $215.
Yeah, insurance wouldn't even pay for HALF.
I can't afford that. At all. I'm so screwed, and feel like I wasted the $55 for nothing, because it's not like I can afford new glasses for the prescription. I pretty much wandered around Target afterwards trying not to cry. But, really. Some insurance coverage. I knew my company was a bunch of stingy assholes, but why are they calling it insurance coverage, when it literally covers NOTHING?
I just needed to rant. And sniffle a bit.
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