CATARACT SURGERY AND INSURANCE COVERAGE

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CATARACT SURGERY AND INSURANCE COVERAGE

August 18, 2022

Is Cataract Surgery Covered By Insurance?

A Cataract is when the lens in the eye becomes cloudy and hard. Cataracts may cause blurred vision, dulled vision, sensitivity to light and glare, and/or ghost images. If the cataract changes vision so much that it interferes with your daily life, the cataract may need to be removed. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract. You can decide to not have the cataract removed. If you don’t have the surgery, your vision loss from the cataract will continue to get worse. To restore vision, the cloudy lens must be removed and replaced with a new artificial lens called an intraocular lens implant (IOL). Surgery is the only effective treatment for cataracts. With one in six people over age 40, and more than half of people over age 80 having cataracts, you will be relieved to know that, yes, cataract surgery is generally covered by insurance. At least, most of it.

Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance programs deem cataract surgery to be “medically necessary,” assuming the development of the cataracts is such that it interferes with the patient’s normal daily activities. Often, in the early stages of cataract development, your eye doctor will recommend against surgery until the daily impact is evident, and this generally aligns with insurance programs’ guidelines as well.

To be clear, when we talk about insurance covering cataract surgery, we’re referencing your general health insurance plan, not vision-specific insurance. Vision insurance plans are highly unlikely to cover any costs related to cataract surgery.

Insurance plans generally cover the primary costs of cataract surgery, including:

Pre-operative eye scan
Traditional cataract surgical procedure
Monofocal intraocular lens implant
Any related medications

Depending on your plan, some diagnostic procedures and pre-surgery treatments may not be covered. Additionally, many advanced intraocular lenses designed to also correct presbyopia or astigmatism are often not covered. Many patients opt to pay for these items out-of-pocket, as they can permanently eliminate the need for eyeglasses.

The specifics of health insurance plans vary, so it’s a good idea to talk with your health insurance provider in advance, so you know exactly what to expect.

If the time is right to restore your vision through cataract surgery, consider Shipp & Wooten Eye Center for your vision care. Darwin Wooten, M.D., F.A.C.S., John R. Shipp, M.D., Bernard Shipp, M.D., along with their talented medical team, are well-known for their experience, friendliness and results. Our helpful administrative staff will work with you and your insurance provider to ensure you get the coverage benefits to which you are entitled.

Contact Shipp & Wooten Eye Center today at 662-286-2020.

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Headaches? Migraines? Botox treatments are not just for wrinkles anymore.

August 20, 2022

At Shipp & Wooten Eye Center we have found that many of our patients have found relief from chronic migraines with Botox® injections. If you have fifteen or more headache days each month with migraine pain that lasts four hours or more, and regularly miss work or activities you enjoy because of debilitating migraine symptoms, there’s an effective alternative to taking headache and migraine prescription medications each time you feel a migraine coming on. Discover why Botox® may be the best proactive solution to managing your migraine pain. Botox® is the most prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment. Surprising, isn’t it? Most people think of Botox® as a cosmetic injectable that smoothes out fine lines and wrinkles across your forehead and around your eyes. While Botox® is certainly an effective anti-aging treatment, it’s also an FDA-approved chronic migraine therapy. When your provider at Shipp & Wooten Eye Center injects Botox® into seven specific muscle areas in your head and neck, the botulinum toxin — a neurotoxin that occurs in nature — helps reduce migraine pain for the next 12 weeks. How Botox® works to help you manage migraine pain? Botox® for migraines is a preventive medication. You don’t wait until you have symptoms to take it, but rather it helps prevent migraines from starting in the first place. Initially, you begin with two Botox® treatments spaced about 12 weeks apart. After your initial two Botox treatments, if you’re having fewer headaches each month, then you can continue receiving Botox injections every 12 weeks, or as your health care provider at Shipp & Wooten Eye Center recommends. During each appointment, your provider injects Botox® into the muscle groups of your head and neck. The needle is so tiny that you feel something similar to a pinprick, but nothing really painful. The injections aren’t deep either, so discomfort is minimal and temporary. Botox® goes just below your skin into the targeted muscle groups. The medication enters the nerve endings that contribute to your migraine pain. There, the botulinum toxins block the release of chemicals that transmit pain signals to your brain. As a result, the pain networks that usually come to life with the onset of a migraine no longer activate, so you don’t feel the usual pain and migraine symptoms. Botox® for migraines could cut your headache days in half. After a series of Botox® injections for migraine pain, you may have up to eight to nine fewer headache days each month. For many women and men, that’s like cutting your migraine symptoms in half — especially if you suffer from 15 or more headache days each month. Imagine waking up ready to take on the day more often than not, thanks to Botox® injections for migraine pain. When it comes to dealing with migraines, would you rather rely on prescription medications you take as soon as you feel symptoms coming on, or are you ready to try a more preventive approach with simple Botox® injections you only need every three months? We invite you to learn more about Botox® for migraines by scheduling a consultation today. Call our friendly office staff at the Shipp & Wooten Eye Center or request an appointment online.