Medicare’s Paying Less for Cataract Surgery. Eye Doctors Are Turning to Lucrative Lasers.

Tammy Chalala, a retired dietitian in New York, was thrilled with the results of her cataract surgeries, which left her with close to 20/20 vision. She said she paid nearly $4,000 out-of-pocket for her two surgeries last year because she opted to have her doctor use a laser to assist with the procedure. Chalala, 69, chose that method over the traditional scalpel after doing research online and consulting with her doctors, believing it would give her the best outcome. “It seemed like the better option,” she said. Cataract surgery — one of the most common operations paid for by Medicare — typically leaves enrollees owing a few hundred dollars. Some patients pay more to have their vision corrected during the procedure. But, like Chalala, a growing number of those patients are paying even more out-of-pocket simply because they agree to have their doctor use a laser rather than the scalpel method. Both methods are safe and can significantly reduce or eliminate the need for patients to wear glasses. However, many doctors say the laser helps make more precise cuts than the scalpel. The laser method gives patients more options, they say, and recoups more revenue as Medicare has gradually c...