February 16, 2018
Optometrist won't send revised claim to insurance company
Dear Consumer Ed:
I just had my eyes examined and my optometrist prescribed progressive lenses. The cost for the new glasses was $650. My insurance allowance is only $300, so I had to pay $350 out-of-pocket. Unfortunately, the new lenses did not work out for me, so I returned them a week later for less expensive ($400), single-vision eyeglasses, which the eyeglasses store is providing at no additional cost. However, the store refuses to submit a revised claim to my insurance company so that I can get a refund for the $250 difference in price between the progressive and the single-vision lenses. What can I do?
Consumer Ed says:
Many eyeglasses/contact lens providers explicitly state in their company policies that insurance charges are non-refundable. So the first thing you should do is review any forms you signed when you ordered the original lenses to see whether you agreed to such a policy. You should also contact your insurance company directly to see whether it has an agreement with your optometrist that would cover this situation. Your insurance company may be able to assist you with requesting and obtaining any refund that you are entitled to.