Monday, May 18, 2009

Premium IOLs in Europe

In what may appear to be contradictory facts, European patients have more choices of premium intraocular lenses to be used in their cataract surgery but fewer than 10% actually end up getting them.
There are more choices because the implants can be brought to market sooner with fewer regulations. Some of the implants currently being reviewed by our FDA are already being used in Europe.
But...because of the restrictive health care system, many of these implants are available only to patients who get their care outside of government provided health care. This is because many of the plans do not allow doctors additional compensation for the additional time and expense involved in providing these implants. They are even forbidden to attempt to collect any additional fees from the patient. This is a tremendous disincentive to providing these lenses. Why would a doctor take on the additional expense and spend additional time and still be reimbursed the same?
Likewise, hospitals and ASCs may be reimbursed a set fee for cataract surgery that include the cost of the implant. Hard strapped facilities would find it hard to justify providing a more expensive , premium product and still be reimbursed the same.
Fortunately, in our country, doctors and facilities are able to recoup the additional expense involved in providing these implants. As time goes on, more and more patients are choosing these implants as a means to reduce their dependence on glasses and that's worth something isn't it?

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