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Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

Reader Question:

LASIK Surgery

Published on Sat Sep 01, 2001

Question: How can we be reimbursed for LASIK surgery?

Montana Subscriber  
Answer: Because Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies all decline to cover this procedure, your only alternative is to collect from the patient (up-front collection is ideal). Payers view the procedure as cosmetic because it is a surgical substitute for eyewear. No advanced beneficiary notice is necessary because there is no medically necessary situation in which Medicare would cover LASIK.
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