How to Pay for Lasik Surgery
If you are thinking about having lasik surgery, there is a lot to learn and a lot to think about. One consideration that cannot be overlooked for most people is paying for the procedure.
Nearly all health insurance providers consider lasik surgery an elective or cosmetic procedure. As such, the cost of lasik surgery is highly unlikely to be covered by your health insurance plan. There are, however, a number of other ways to pay for your surgery.
When you are researching lasik providers, ask about financing options. Many lasik centers offer some sort of payment plan. Terms vary from lasik center to lasik center so make sure things like the down payment or the interest rate are clear before you commit to anything.
Third-party financing is also an option if the lasik center you choose does not offer a payment plan. Companies such as CareCredit will finance your lasik surgery. Having bad credit could be an obstacle if you are considering using a finance company, though. Your doctor may be able to recommend or provide you with a list of outside financing companies so ask if you are interested.
Most lasik centers also accept credit cards. The downsides are the same as paying for any major purchase with a credit card. Late fees and high interest rates could make paying with a credit card unattractive. If you are thinking about using your credit card, compare the interest rate on your card to those offered by third party finance companies such as CareCredit.
Another option was to just put away money until I had enough in the bank to pay for my surgery. It took me a long time to research and decide on lasik treatment so this is what I ended up doing. I started saving as soon as I was sure I was going to opt for the procedure. The amount I managed to save plus the money I got back from my tax return provided enough to cover my lasik costs.
The company I was working at when I had my procedure made flexible savings accounts available, which allowed me to set aside some of my paycheck to cover medical expenses, but the amount I had allocated to my FSA account was not enough to pay my entire lasik surgery expense. If your employer offers an FSA, it would be a reasonably simple way to pay for treatment.
Even if your health insurance does not cover lasik eye surgery, there are other ways to pay for your treatment. Payment plans, savings, credit cards and financing are all viable options. Choices exist so consider them all carefully and pick the one that is best for you.