I am not extremely familiar with filing vision claims and I have tried to research this topic. Most instances it seems that it depends on why the patient is here as to who to bill to as primary, but my question comes in when the patient has a medical insurance and has either a copay, deductible, or coinsurance amount and if vision acts as a secondary to cover these amounts or if the patient is responsible.

The way it has "always been done" here at the clinic I work for is that when the patient’s medical insurance comes back, they file the remainder to any applicable vision policy. I understand that a refraction would be covered in this instance if not covered by the primary, but they have historically changed the diagnoses on the claim for to all vision codes and taken off all the medical. To me this seems incorrect. If the vision insurance acts as a true secondary on medical, then we should be filing the claim exactly the way we did to the medical insurance and not change any diagnosis codes. If their exam was billed as medical because their reason for visit was medical, then that should follow the claim form to the vision insurance company.

My co-worker who has been filing these claims stated that she called the vision company and explained my concerns and the vision company apparently told her it didn’t matter what diagnosis was on the claim. As long as they had the primary EOB, they would process the claim. Now I don’t trust what she is saying which is obviously why I am posting my question here.

Thanks in advance for helping me with this.

Amber