Cataract eye surgery

[modhatter]

My 87 yr. old mother is scheduled to go in Wed for cataract surgery. She has a medicare HMO type policy that we were told paid for the surgery. Now at the 11th hour, they are telling us, she will have to pay $2,300 per eye ($4,600-doing both) for the cosmetic part of it so she won't have to wear glasses anymore as she will be able to see.

She does not have this money, and I have not been able to get anyone on the phone to explain to me what this is all about. I thought the surgery was supposed to correct the vision problem. Is that not so? What is this "cosmetic" surgury they are talking about? Can anyone give me some information on this?

 

[OAG]

Sounds goofy to me. My mother had both eyes done (one at a time). Medicare paid for it. This was a while ago like maybe 1993 or so. I think MEDICARE should be able to explain it to you -- don't know why the doctor or medical facility cannot do it. Do they even know they know she is covered by Medicare? At 80+ it should be oblivious, but then who knows.

 

[FinallyRetired]

My mother had both eyes done when she was 90 and Medicare paid.

 

[FIRE'd@51]

I believe the HMO may be referring to the new implants which also eliminate the need for reading glasses. As I understand it, Medicare will pay for the single focal length implants (to correct distant vision), but if someone wants the newer ones which correct near vision as well, they have to pay extra out of their own pocket.

link

 

[modhatter]

Thank you very much for the link. That was very helpful. Also to the rest of you for your reply. Seems she has now agreed that just the cataract surgery is all she needs.