An OD wonders if she is charging too much for a refraction based on an angry encounter from an octogenarian patient. The responses from the group are overwhelmingly in support of the doctor!
If you estimate the value of your time to be $400/hr and a refraction takes 6 minutes or 1/10 of an hour then it is reasonable to charge $40. If your refraction is 3 minutes, then charge $20.
For the record, $400/hr on a 40 hour work week grosses $832,000.
The net result of medicare not covering the refraction is to cause confusion and cynicism for the patient. It is counterproductive. Quite frankly, I don’t blame the patient for being irate. Though its not the docs fault.
If you estimate the value of your time to be $400/hr and a refraction takes 6 minutes or 1/10 of an hour then it is reasonable to charge $40. If your refraction is 3 minutes, then charge $20.
For the record, $400/hr on a 40 hour work week grosses $832,000.
The net result of medicare not covering the refraction is to cause confusion and cynicism for the patient. It is counterproductive. Quite frankly, I don’t blame the patient for being irate. Though its not the docs fault.