Some Insurance coverage...they must WANT me to be blind! (ranty/whiny)

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Zenni Optical online may be an option. I'm not positive with the additions that you need, but it couldn't hurt to look. I have a fairly strong prescription and astigmatism and my glasses usually run between $15 and $30 for everything (frames, lenses and shipping). Plus, they are currently offering free shipping on orders over $50.

I can't speak for myself, but my husband just ordered a pair of bifocals from Zenni that cost something like thirty five bucks (including the lens and the frames) that he LOVES. He went there on the recommendation of a friend, who also loves the glasses she got from them.

I was afraid to buy bifocals online, so I went to H Rubin and got cornholed out of about five hundred bucks, after insurance. And they aren't great lenses, either.

So, thinking about getting myself another pair just to see how they work out.

[lupo pazzesco]

That's not too bad, given that because of the prescription, my glasses usually take several weeks, anyways... Definitely gonna look into it, when I get the chance. Right now, I don't want to think about it, my eyes are hurting because of the exam. I want to focus on my guy coming into town, and I want to have fun.

[Lyse]

I just randomly tried a pair of glasses at Zenni - looks like they go to -20.0 for the lenses and do offer AR. Getting lighter lenses may cost more depending on the type you choose, but it has to be better costs then you were quoted. The only issue I can think of is that it does take a couple of weeks for the glasses to get to you.

[lupo pazzesco]

nope, vision is bad enough, soft lenses can't correct it to 20/20, I'd have to use hard contacts. Did try those once. They felt like they were scraping across my eyeball everytime I blinked.

Would LOVE contacts, and not have to wear glasses, and yes, I'd need hi-index lenses with an a/r coating, and something called panascopic tilt.

[LillFilly]

It sounds like you have a really strong prescription and that you need those special thin lenses so it doesn't feel like you're wearing coke bottle bottoms for glasses; vision is horrible out of those. I have that issue too; I try to make my glasses last as long as they can, but you'll hurt your eyes in the long run if you don't keep up with the prescription. Could you do contacts? Those might be cheaper, and you can buy them online.

[lupo pazzesco]

auntiem, I WOULD, except, I'm not going to have a job in a few weeks, I"m moving to another city, and no store out there was willing to take me on as a transfer (that's a whole other story)


Lyse, THANK YOU, I didn't think about online vendors, never thought I could with my prescription (-12.75 in the right eye, -13 in the left, and yeah...) but is worth checking out!

[dragon_wings]

Aww *hugs* Lupo! Last February I went to get glasses and contacts and paid over $400 out of pockets cause my job doesn't even offer vision coverage. I'm gonna use that prescription a couple years for $400.

[auntiem]

Sounds like you have the same crappy coverage my past employer had, and about the same bill for glasses. Can you talk to HR and see if there is a health fund option available? Not an immediate fix, but something to look into come Jan 1st (you wouldn't want to start it now, 'cause I doubt you could put enough into the account before it expired - ours was a "use it or lose it" type of deal).
I don't know if it varies state to state, but the eye exam prescription last two years so at least the exam fee you paid isn't worthless.
Also, do you have a Costco in your town? My SO saved a ton of money on his precription there. Talk to them (or the Target folks) to see what less expensive options there are - for example, I paid extra for lighter lenses and no-line bifocals and the computer glare coating - I don't need those things so chosing other options would have been cheaper. (I still highly recommend paying the extra for the coating though - it has saved me so many headaches).
I'm so sorry this happened. It is totally disheartening to be all excited about new glasses and then have that joy be dashed by a huge bill.

[Lyse]

Zenni Optical online may be an option. I'm not positive with the additions that you need, but it couldn't hurt to look. I have a fairly strong prescription and astigmatism and my glasses usually run between $15 and $30 for everything (frames, lenses and shipping). Plus, they are currently offering free shipping on orders over $50.

[lupo pazzesco]

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.