About Your Insurance

There are two types of health insurance that will help pay for your eye care services and optical products. You may have both types and McDonald Eye Care Associates accepts most insurance plans in both categories: 1) Vision plan (VSP) and 2) Medical insurance (such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Medica, PreferredOne, HealthPartners, Medicare, and many others).

  • Vision plans only cover routine eye exams, along with eyeglasses and contact lenses. Vision plans do not cover medical eye care (the diagnosis, management or treatment of eye health problems).
  • Medical insurance must be used for medical eye care.
  • If you have both types of insurance plans, it may be necessary for us to bill some services to one plan and some services to the other. We will follow a procedure called coordination of benefits to do this properly and to minimize your out-of-pocket expense.

If some fees are not paid by your insurance, we will bill you for them, such as deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, or non-covered services as allowed by the insurance contract.  Please click here to view the top 25 most billed charges.
Please provide your insurance cards to our front desk staff upon check-in. We need to have your most current medical insurance cards on file for future billings to your insurance.

Eyeglass and Contact Lens Return Policy

Professional fees, such as exam fees or contact lens fittings and evaluations, represent payments for services that were rendered (even if not successful) and are not refundable.

Eyeglass lenses are custom made devices and are not refundable, but we will be happy to correct any problems you may experience. See the section below on Doctor’s Rx changes for more information. Frames may be returned or exchanged within 30 days if in perfect condition, but lenses will have a 30% restocking fee from the full retail value of the lens.

Prepackaged contact lenses may only be returned within 1 year of purchase date if the original packaging unopened, unmarked, and in pristine condition. If contact lenses are not picked up within 90 days, they will be returned and a 20% restocking fee will be assessed.

New contact lens wearers that opt not to complete the contact lens fitting process will be charged 50% of the fitting fee.

Eyeglass Rx Changes

  • For prescriptions written by other doctors: Eyeglass lenses will be remade one time at no charge if the prescribing doctor provides a new prescription in writing within 30 days of dispensing. Rx changes after one free remake or after 30 days will be charged the usual lens price.
  • For prescription by doctors at McDonald Eye Care Associates: An office visit to recheck the prescription will be provided and new lenses will be made at no charge within 30 days of dispensing. Recheck visits after 30 days will be charged the usual fee for a brief exam.
  • If a McDonald Eye Care Associate prescription is filled elsewhere, and an Rx change is needed, we will not be responsible for any charges incurred. Most reputable optical dispensaries allow one doctor Rx change at no charge, but this is up to the patient to inquire about such policies in advance of purchase.

Progressive Addition Lens (PAL) Non-Adapt Policy

All Progressive addition lenses (also called invisible or no-line multifocals) have a slight optical distortion in the outer portions of the lens, which can make some objects appear bowed or curved, or can cause a feeling of motion when the head is turned. The reading zone of progressive lenses is wide enough for most purposes, but it may appear narrower than other bifocal styles. While most people are not bothered by these characteristics, some will find it unacceptable even after the two week adaptation period. If you cannot adapt to the progressive addition lenses, we will make new lenses in any other design that you wish, within 30 days of dispensing, at no charge. Since the original lenses were a custom prescription item, there are no refund of the difference in cost if the remade pair is of lesser value.

Policy for Making New Lenses for a Patient’s Old Frame

  • We cannot be responsible for breakage when we reuse a patient’s old frame to manufacture and insert new lenses.
  • We will use the utmost care if we accept a patient’s frame, but in a small percentage of cases the frame parts or material will be worn or brittle to the point that it will not support a new lens.
  • Older frames are usually discontinued by the manufacturer and replacement parts are generally not available. Putting new lenses into an old frame may create a pair of glasses that cannot be repaired later.
  • If a patient’s frame breaks during our handling, the purchase of a new frame is the patient’s expense. We may have to discard the first pair of lenses made for the original frame, but no additional charge will be assessed for lenses.

Appointment Cancellation and No Show Policy

If an appointment is cancelled without proper notice (24 hours) or you do not show up for your appointment, we may not be able to reschedule your appointment.

Verifying Prescriptions and Release of Medical Information

We will not verify contact lens prescriptions or release medical records including glasses prescriptions and pupillary measurements if you owe a balance on your account. The account must be paid in full for us to release that information to you or another office.