Get your eyes checked

[Everskyward]

They've approved LASIK, and that is exactly what they do. If someone has had LASIK and they don't need reading glasses, the focal lengths of their two eyes are different.

They've approved LASIK but not monovision contacts. I know because I mistakenly checked the box once and the AME corrected it.

 

[steingar]

They've approved LASIK but not monovision contacts. I know because I mistakenly checked the box once and the AME corrected it.

Given the way I've been told LASIK works (by optometrists), I don't see any alternative.

 

[Doggtyred]

This will never happen. The hospitals would hate if people found out that ambulatory surgery centers and independent outpatient imaging centers routinely under-bid them by 50%.

The outpatient places don't have any obligation to accept and treat uninsured or non-resource patients.

Hospitals do. That cost is wrapped up into inflated fees for everyone else who does pay.

This is a major point of contention by the hospitals politically when changes to reimbursement are proposed by medicare/Medicaid, especially because many private insurers take the lead of whatever CMS is doing with regards to billing and reimbursement.

 

[denverpilot]

They've approved LASIK, and that is exactly what they do. If someone has had LASIK and they don't need reading glasses, the focal lengths of their two eyes are different.

Actually (and I bet Dr. Bruce is along here in a bit)... I believe you can have LASIK that's just a "standard correction" to both eyes, including correcting astigmatism, etc... and you can also do LASIK that is what's called "monovision" where one eye is purposefully corrected to handle distant vision, and the other is corrected to handle close-in, and your brain decides which eye to pay attention to.

Since monovision affects the ability to judge distances, the FAA has expressly banned it for pilots, I believe.

But I could be wrong.

Don't have laser eye surgery done without consulting with your AME, would probably be the best advice.

I'm almost sure I read somewhere that doing a monovision correction is an instant disqualifier for FAA Medicals.

A well-meaning eye doc (thinking, "Hey I do this monovision thing to people all the time, and they drive and play sports and all sorts of distance-calculating activities!") could really screw you over with the FAA.

 

[weilke]

The outpatient places don't have any obligation to accept and treat uninsured or non-resource patients.

Hospitals do. That cost is wrapped up into inflated fees for everyone else who does pay.

That and an abundance of vice presidents, assistant vice presidents, department administrators, assistant department administrators and hordes of lawyers that they have to drag along.

This is a major point of contention by the hospitals politically when changes to reimbursement are proposed by medicare/Medicaid, especially because many private insurers take the lead of whatever CMS is doing with regards to billing and reimbursement.

Cynical me says that this is a major smokescreen used by the hospitals to deflect attention anytime their fat share of the pie is being discussed.

Yes, some hospitals do provide those unreimbursed services. Others don't provide those services (e.g. because they are single-specialty or dont have an ER) yet they charge even more.

Repeal EMTALA. If the goverment wants all comers to be treated, how about they pay for it ?