Chapter 15 ISBCS & money

The issue of money is an important barrier that slows the widespread adoption of immediately sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) and is much too frequently overlooked as an issue. Many parties stand to gain from adopting ISBCS, namely, patients, third-party payers, and hospitals who could save on their administrative, nursing, and supply costs by performing ISBCS instead of delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgery. However, with the current framework in many countries providing reduced payment for second eye surgeries performed on the same day as first eye surgeries, physicians and ambulatory care centers are at risk of significant loss in revenue, which discourages them from adopting ISBCS. Overall, this chapter will address the issues regarding the economics of ISBCS and its effect on patients, payers, surgical facilities, physicians, including pediatric populations, within different nations and jurisdictions in detail.