What is a dispensing fee?
In Ontario, most regulated health care practitioners (e.g. physicians, pharmacists, optometrists, and dentists) are required, when providing health care products to a patient, to charge the patient the costs incurred for the material plus a fee. The fees are called a variety of names such as dispensing fees, treatment fees, or professional fees. The amount of the fee may vary but must be disclosed to the patient on a receipt. The purpose of this is to provide openness and honesty in the financial transactions between health care professionals and their patients.
A. The dispensing fee is the amount of money that is added to the provider’s wholesale acquisition cost of materials. It is generally the only profit made by the provider on a purchase. Q. Is the eye exam discounted? A. Yes, at approximately 4,000 of our 12,000 locations nationwide. Our member service representatives can provide the member with the locations that discount eye exams. Q. How does the benefit work? A. Members should call the toll-free number located on the membership card to locate an optical provider in their area. To receive the discount, the member must show the provider the membership card and identify his/herself as a member of the CTC Vision Plan to receive the discount.
