Health Insurance Rebate- Returned Glasses?

Levathian on 30/01/2025 - 22:22
Last edited 30/01/2025 - 22:22

I bought a pair of glasses from an Australian chain optometrists online on the 30th December, as I didn’t have time to go in store and pay there, and I wanted to use up my 2024 rebate before it expired. I knew what my prescription and PD was from the last time I went (Dec 2023). I selected a pair I liked, typed in all the numbers correctly, paid the full price and got an email invoice. I then sent that invoice to my health insurer, who paid me a $200 rebate a few days later. It came off my 2024 limits, which reset 1 Jan.

Glasses arrived and I opened the box in excitement only to find… they were too small. Waaaaaaay too small. So small that they’d barely fit a young child. Turns out frame size and bridge width were like 3cm shorter than my current pair: oops. So went back to a in person store of said optometrist; got told that they can’t make it fit so I asked if I could get a different frame- told no- fair enough, and nothing of any interest is on sale so I asked for a refund as per TOS, which they happily provided.

Interestingly their systems show the full purchase price as the rebate didn’t go through hicaps, and the returns slip I had shows the full price I paid. Am I under any obligation to tell my health insurer that I got a refund? Will the optometrist automatically hand a portion of funds back? Surely I haven’t accidentally discovered a loophole lol. Also why do people bother buying glasses online if the prices aren’t much cheaper than in store and your chance of getting something wrong is quite high?

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • boomramada on 30/01/2025 - 22:35
    +1

    They going to call bikies on you!!

    • jv on 31/01/2025 - 00:06
      +3

      🍪

  • Dollar General on 31/01/2025 - 05:23

    If you paid the full price, how does the store know if you claimed and what health provider you are with?

    Stop over thinking it

  • Ocker on 31/01/2025 - 07:42

    Let your conscience be your guide

  • AustriaBargain on 31/01/2025 - 09:01

    You don't think that one day soon the insurer isn't going to follow this up? Or hasn't already followed it up and one day soon the optometrist will complete more paperwork to follow up that follow up? Is $200 worth committing insurance fraud. Though I guess you could just claim ignorance if you get caught.

    • freefall101 on 31/01/2025 - 11:06

      Why would the insurer follow it up? Invoice provided, rebate paid. They don't go around double checking if every invoice has been refunded. Since the optometrist didn't process anything to do with the rebate, they wouldn't contact the the insurer.

      If you called in to try pay them back there's a good chance they'd tell you to keep it because it's too hard to process. OP paid premiums and used premiums, that the glasses were returned doesn't really matter much to them.

  • Sye on 31/01/2025 - 09:19
    +1

    This should be posted as a Deal. "With this One Simple Trick you can make $200 and get up to 10 years free food and accommodation".
    /$

    • JIMB0 on 31/01/2025 - 09:52

      The terms and conditions state that you must return the $200 if receiving the free food and accommodation. If you don't have the $200 you can earn it making number plates while receiving the free food and accommodation.

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 31/01/2025 - 14:56
      +1

      Returning glasses makes cents. Cheers.

  • theHMASfriendship on 31/01/2025 - 09:38
    +4

    Now repeat for infinite money

  • immrnonamehello on 31/01/2025 - 10:04
    +1

    They couldn't care less for $200. The "lost" money to them is already built in to the monthly premium you pay.

  • eltito on 31/01/2025 - 15:24

    Interestingly their systems show the full purchase price as the rebate didn’t go through hicaps, and the returns slip I had shows the full price I paid. Am I under any obligation to tell my health insurer that I got a refund? Will the optometrist automatically hand a portion of funds back? Surely I haven’t accidentally discovered a loophole lol. Also why do people bother buying glasses online if the prices aren’t much cheaper than in store and your chance of getting something wrong is quite high?

    ** Am I under any obligation to tell my health insurer that I got a refund?**
    There is potentially some kind of T&C or something along those lines within your fund which notes you need to notify if there is a change in circumstance.

    Will the optometrist automatically hand a portion of funds back?
    The optometrist will refund what you paid them - they don't care about anything after the fact

    Surely I haven’t accidentally discovered a loophole lol. Also why do people bother buying glasses online if the prices aren’t much cheaper than in store and your chance of getting something wrong is quite high?
    It is a loophole to an extent, but I'd assume it's also considered fraud and likely wording somewhere in your fund noting this change needs to be reported. But like someone previously said, they also build this into your premiums.

    I used to work in health insurance, plenty of people do dodgy stuff and get away with it, and i'm sure there are others that don't get away with it, but I doubt you will be on your health insurers radar for this.

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