Cataract surgery is a common method of eye surgery. It is usually covered by safe surgery and Medicare. More than 50 percent of Americans have had cataract or cataract surgery for 80 years or more.
Medicare is a U.S. federal government health care program that covers the health needs of people aged 65 and over. Although Medicare does not cover routine vision screening, it does cover cataract surgery for people over the age of 65.
You may need to pay additional expenses such as hospital or clinic fees, discounts, and co-payments.
Some types of medical health insurance can cover more than others. Different types of cataract surgery also have different costs.
What is the cost of cataract surgery?
There are two types of cataract surgery. Medicare covers both surgeries at the same rate. These types include
Phacoemulsification. This type of ultrasound is used before the removal of cloudy lenses and an intraocular lens (IOL) is inserted to replace the cloudy lenses.
Extracapsular. This type removes cloudy lenses in one piece and an IOL is inserted to replace the cloudy lenses.
Your eye doctor will determine which type of surgery is best for you
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Aao) in 2014, the cost of cataract surgery in one eye with no insurance in general was about 500 2,500 for surgeon's fees, outpatient surgery center fees, anesthesiologist's fees, implant lenses, and 3 months of postoperative care.
However, these rates vary by state and by the condition and needs of an individual.
What are the costs of Medicare?
The exact cost of your cataract surgery will depend on:
Your Medicare plan
The kind of surgery you need
How long does your surgery take
Where you have surgery (clinic or hospital)
Your other medical conditions
Potential complications
Cost of cataract surgery including Medicare
The estimated cost of cataract surgery may be *:
In a surgical center or clinic, the average total cost is 77,977. Medicare pays $ 781 and costs you 195 195.
In a hospital (outpatient department), the average total cost is $ 1,917. Medicare pays 1,533 and costs you $ 383.
* According to Medicare.gov, these fees do not include physician fees or other necessary procedures. These may vary depending on the national average and location.
Which part of Medicare covers cataract surgery?
Treatment Basic Cataract Surgery Cover:
Cataract removal
Lens implantation
A set of prescription glasses or contact lenses after the procedure
Original Medicare is divided into four main parts: A, B, C and D You can also buy a Medigap, or complementary, plan. Each section covers different types of healthcare costs. Your cataract surgery may be covered by different parts of your Medicare plan.
At Medicare Part
Medicare Part A covers patients and hospital expenses. Although in most cases no hospital is required for cataract surgery, if you have to be hospitalized, it will be covered under Part A coverage.
Medicare Part B
Medicare Part B includes outpatient and other treatment costs. If you have original Medicare, your cataract surgery will be covered under Part B. Part B also covers doctor's appointments, such as seeing your doctor before and after eye surgery.
Medicare Part C.
Medicare Part C (Advantage Plans) All or part of your cataract surgery will be covered depending on the Advantage Plan you have chosen, covering the same services as the original Medicare Parts A and B.
Medicare Part D.
Part D covers prescription drugs. If you need prescription medication after your cataract operation, it may be covered by Medicare Part D. If your medication is not on the approved list, you will need to pay out of pocket.
Some medications related to your surgery may be covered by Part B if they are considered treatment costs. For example, if you need to use certain eye drops before your surgery, they may be covered by Part B.
Medicare Complementary Plan (Medigap)
Medicare supplementary plans (Medigap) plans cover some expenses that the original Medicare does not. If you have a Medigap plan, call your healthcare provider to see if it will cut costs. Some Medigap plans offer discounted and co-paid Medicare parts A and B.