@shellfell how long ago was that?
Since there may be a far number of medically knowledgeable people on here, are all MRI’s essentially the same (different providers)? We have one nearby that keeps advertising low costs compared to various hospitals, and this next one for me is OOP due to the way we handle health insurance. I don’t mind paying for better, but feel no need to do so for the same/similar.
If the health care system is hard up for money it’s tough to just accept the doctor’s answer to that question. (I haven’t asked yet to know what her answer will be.)
@Creekland - not all MRI machines are created equal; go for the higher Tesla magnet.
https://www.gehealthcare.com/feature-article/what-does-tesla-mean-for-an-mri-and-its-magnet
@lkg4answers - I think it was 12 years ago. That’s when S2 was going to college and was determined to finally handle contacts before he went.
You should always go back to the doctor who prescribed your glasses, contacts, medications, etc. to receive your prescription. As an example, let’s say your OB prescribed birth control pills and you purchased your first 3 mos from the Costco pharmacy. Costco keeps your prescription. At the end of 3 mos, you need a refill and want to go to Rite Aid. You wouldn’t go to Costco and ask them for your prescription. You would go back to your doctor to request a copy of your prescription to take to Rite Aid.
In some (but not all) states, opticians are allowed to fit contact lenses. If the optician had fit the lenses then they should have provided you with a prescription. In your case, it sounds like a doctor fit the lenses. If that is true then the optician was correct in sending you back to whomever fit the patient with lenses in order to get a duplicate prescription.
Mine doesn’t upsell, but a dentist friend explained to me why some offices do. They get a lot of pressure to have the latest tools (like a 3D printer so they don’t have to have crowns, appliances, etc. made in a lab), or they get bored doing the same things (apparently, routine dentistry is really, really boring), so they attend expensive training conferences and invest in expensive tools. They have to make it worth their while, so they start trying to sell you on the procedures that these shiny new tools accomplish. Ethical dentists won’t sell you something that they don’t believe would benefit the patient, but if they think it might, they’re gonna push it on you.
I don’t see anything wrong with medical professionals selling you stuff, as long as it is likely to be helpful, but I do find it irksome. And I worry about people who can’t tell the difference between “you need this” and “this might be good for you.” Personally, if a medical professional starts pushing stuff and doesn’t take my no or answer my questions well, I’m out of there.
I had never had another optician take possession of an eyeglass rx. The optometrist’s rx was for eyeglasses; the optician fit him for contacts. He didn’t return the optometrist’s rx, nor did he give us a rx for the contacts. He just wanted us to be obligated to return to him. State law did not give him that right - I checked.
I subscribe to ConsumerLab which is a good source of info about all types of supplements — so I think well worth the cost of the annual subscription.
When I am buying from Amazon or Costco, it is usually name-brand products. Pretty much the exact same thing I see at the health care provider’s office or on the shelves at the local pharmacy. And I’ll comparison shop — so basically same product, same package. With Covid, there is now a little bit of value-added in my mind to having the product arrive by mail as opposed to what now seems like an expedition to a physical retail store. (I’m doing in-person shopping these days only once or twice a month – everything else shows up on my doorstep).
In MA it is law that after an eye exam you must be given your written prescription. Some offices that also sell glasses have to be “reminded” of this law. A few have even lied about the existence of that law. Of course, these sleazoids don’t like the competition. Prior to both of us getting cataract surgery, we would bring our written prescriptions to BJs and get glasses for less $$$.
When my daughter’s dentist recommended she buy a waterpik and an electric toothbrush, she gave her coupons for both of these. I usually get a goody bag from my dentist (travel size toothpaste, floss, and toothbrush). Sometimes, it also has coupons in it for mouthwash, etc.
I used to work for ophthalmologists. They always told patients they didn’t have to fill their glasses prescriptions in the in-house optical shop, that they could have the prescriptions filled anywhere.
This is what I used most of the time as well.
This… Most are 1.5 t but the newer ones are 3.0 and hard to come buy. But… Mris are only as good as the tech and the radiologist reading it. Yes, some if you pay cash can be quite inexpensive but you can’t back bill it to your insurance…
@Knowsstuff Yes, Chiros are the worst. I went to one who was great and didn’t try to sell me stuff, but she retired. We did go to a dentist who was always trying to sell stuff to us and do all sorts of tests that aren’t covered by insurance, we switched to another dentist who is great. We haven’t had any other doctors who do that, though I will say that my eye doctor does really try to get you to buy glasses from them…but they’re good otherwise.
Per vision therapy, we did it for about 8 weeks for son in second grade. It seemed odd stuff, but his problems with reversing letters dramatically improved. The teacher also commented on the improvement. (She seemed so proud that I did not mention the vision therapy … maybe should have.) Glad we did it. But it was hundreds of dollars (plus 20 min per day exercise), not thousands.
I have no problem with the eye doctor practice wanting to sell glasses and contacts. (One of the doctors came in for an unplanned visit when closed the day after Thanksgiving, to check out an eye infection concern for my husband.) They keep the prescription on file, but I could have a paper copy if I wanted.
When I called my doctor’s office asking about the letter I received in the mail that told me to call as soon as possible, she couldn’t find any record of it being sent. I have no idea what’s going on - nor did she. When I mentioned the two concerns I have with my thyroid and potentially overdue MRI she said she was leaving a note for the doctor and I’d hear back.
That was all early Monday. I haven’t heard anything yet. I’m not going to take the time to worry about it right now. We are getting flu shots on Friday though.
Thanks to all for your comments. Anyone know how to screen a new provider in advance in regard to theses types of issues? I may have found a new provider but only based upon one person’s recommendation. Not much evidence either way on the practice website.
friend and professional referrals are always best. Stay away from marketing…
Just adding…my kids were skipping lines when reading. Eyes getting tired so losing concentration and comprehension. The practice I mentioned they also do a large amount of cerebral palsy, autism and things like that. Parents rave about the results. Kids being taken off of meds. It’s really cool but really hard to understand how it works but like you have seen it upclose. Even for sport kids for hitting a baseball. They help you to “see” the baseball. Professional athletes like ball players do this type of therapy also.
Cheering- I called several practices when I was “leaving” the provider who was always selling me stuff. I found the winner when I asked the receptionist “What are the physicians policies on selling supplements and ancillary treatments in the office” and she didn’t know what I was talking about.
Their offices are a cell-free zone (waiting room completely silent with nobody yammering away), they hand you a list of providers you can choose from if you need labs or diagnostic testing done that they can’t do in the office-- so you pick based on convenience and who is in-network for you, not based on some corporate relationship. Very old school in that regard.
The only downside- paid parking. My old doctor had a big empty lot, this one is in an urban neighborhood. But I’d rather pay $2 per visit and not have supplements, aromatherapy, etc. pushed on me on the way out the door!