4 ms·

In most medical devices anything, prescription is justified the same (read in a mocking voice) "There could be another reason for those symptoms so if we don't

In most medical devices anything, prescription is justified the same (read in a mocking voice) "There could be another reason for those symptoms so if we don't gate your access behind an expensive doctors visit you could treat the wrong thing and die" This is used to justify eyeglass prescriptions. This bullshit really needs to go, especially for eyeglass prescriptions. Making people wait weeks for another eye exam when their glasses break after the first year is honestly bullshit.

SubiculumCode 7y ago
I think you may be able to.purchase one, but if you want insurance to cover it....
WWLink 7y ago
cpaps are in a different ballpark than doctor visits! If you hunt around, you should be able to see a doctor for $100-ish. (Edit: of course, $100-ish is still a large amount of money) (In some parts of CA, Heal will send a doctor to your house for a one-time fee of $159. And after my mom complained to said doctor about my snoring, their doctor ordered me a sleep study. So yes, that's one way to get it.) That said, out here, most of the small independent offices that used to exist have been bought out by one of 3 medical groups. And with the large medical groups it's pretty hard to get a concrete number sometimes.
arcticbull 7y ago
> "There could be another reason for those symptoms so if we don't gate your access behind an expensive doctors visit you could treat the wrong thing and die" Like all medical things they're (a) expensive (b) limited in supply (c) you don't have the knowledge, experience or impartiality to self-diagnose (d) you can't tell whether you need the device but buying it anyways removes limited supply from the market (e) you don't know how to calibrate it (f) you might hurt yourself. Same reason it's insane Americans are allowed to self-refer to specialists: you don't know which specialist you need, you don't know whether you need a specialist at all, there's a limited quantity and you're likely just squandering a valuable resource. In both cases letting unqualified end users have at it could just as easily increase the price not decrease it. Glasses, though, no excuse.
tomp 7y ago
I though eyeglasses prescriptions were to assess the right "myopia settings" (not sure what the right word is)?? I guess they should stay valid for some period of time, like 1-5 years, in case you break your glasses, but presumably your sight can change (worsen) over time so another exam is a good thing.

SubiculumCode 7y ago

I think you may be able to.purchase one, but if you want insurance to cover it....

WWLink 7y ago

cpaps are in a different ballpark than doctor visits! If you hunt around, you should be able to see a doctor for $100-ish. (Edit: of course, $100-ish is still a large amount of money) (In some parts of CA, Heal will send a doctor to your house for a one-time fee of $159. And after my mom complained to said doctor about my snoring, their doctor ordered me a sleep study. So yes, that's one way to get it.) That said, out here, most of the small independent offices that used to exist have been bought out by one of 3 medical groups. And with the large medical groups it's pretty hard to get a concrete number sometimes.

arcticbull 7y ago

> "There could be another reason for those symptoms so if we don't gate your access behind an expensive doctors visit you could treat the wrong thing and die" Like all medical things they're (a) expensive (b) limited in supply (c) you don't have the knowledge, experience or impartiality to self-diagnose (d) you can't tell whether you need the device but buying it anyways removes limited supply from the market (e) you don't know how to calibrate it (f) you might hurt yourself. Same reason it's insane Americans are allowed to self-refer to specialists: you don't know which specialist you need, you don't know whether you need a specialist at all, there's a limited quantity and you're likely just squandering a valuable resource. In both cases letting unqualified end users have at it could just as easily increase the price not decrease it. Glasses, though, no excuse.

tomp 7y ago

I though eyeglasses prescriptions were to assess the right "myopia settings" (not sure what the right word is)?? I guess they should stay valid for some period of time, like 1-5 years, in case you break your glasses, but presumably your sight can change (worsen) over time so another exam is a good thing.