SPRING 2024 | EYEWORLD | 109
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About the author
William Rabourn Jr.
Managing Principal
Medical Consulting Group
Springfield, Missouri
by William Rabourn Jr.
A simple, effective plan for pricing cataract
and refractive surgery
What's the solution?
So, how can this be avoided so that the patient
has an overall seamless and positive expe-
rience? One solution that has been gaining
traction in recent years is global pricing for the
various components and options that make up
cataract and refractive surgery, such as charging
one price for all types of lifestyle lenses instead
of separate pricing for each. This helps simplify
billing so it's easier to understand and commu-
nicate.
There are many advantages to global pric-
ing, including improved administrative efficien-
cy, streamlined billing processes, better financial
planning and budgeting for your practice and
ASC, and increased patient satisfaction due to
O
wning an ophthalmic practice or
ASC is challenging, especially when
it comes to billing for cataract and
refractive surgery. In addition to
Medicare's rules, there are also
third-party payers that have different require-
ments on how much you can be reimbursed for
specific procedures. Add to that the different
technologies each practice uses and that some
patients are comanaged, and it results in a com-
plex maze that must be expertly navigated to
ensure proper reimbursement for services.
From the patient's perspective, this can be
especially confusing and lead to mistrust and
dissatisfaction with the overall experience.
Some patients, instead of focusing on a positive
outcome, may feel they are being "nickel and
dimed" into a higher bill, which often leads to
misunderstandings and negative perceptions.
continued on page 110
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