Originally published in NKCF Update (December 2021).
Keratoconus requires a lifelong obligation to vision care. While the cost of medical procedures is an important factor to consider, expense should not be a barrier to maintaining vision and well-being. Don’t ‘drop out’ because your doctor has proposed treatment that seems beyond your ability to pay. There are solutions that can help you.
Your eye doctor may have information about companies that provide credit cards specifically for medical expenses. CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit are two. Alphaeon has a special focus on eye and vision procedures. CareCredit covers a wider range of health-related expenses and can even be used at pharmacies like Walgreens for certain purchases.
For both cards, you can learn if you pre-qualify by completing an on-line application from home. The initial credit inquiry is simple and will not impact your credit score. By pre-qualifying, you can calculate payment options before committing to a new line of credit. The Alphaeon card is set up to cover the cost of a specific treatment or procedure, while CareCredit can be used more like an affinity credit card for a broad range of medical or vision expenses.
If you are contemplating a procedure or lenses that may not be reimbursed by your insurance, or if you anticipate a significant co-pay, have a frank discussion with your doctor’s billing or office manager. Ask if the practice works with a company that offers credit plans specifically for medical treatments. This may be a solution to fit unexpected or expensive vision care into your budget. To learn more, and see if you prequalify, visit goalphaeon.com or carecredit.com.