====== Second opinion ======

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A second [[opinion]] can be a visit to a physician other than the one a patient has previously been seeing to get more information or to hear a differing point of view.

Some reasons for which a patient may seek out a second opinion include:

The physician recommends surgery.

The physician diagnoses a patient with a serious illness (such as cancer).

The physician recommends a treatment for the patient other than what the patient believes is necessary.

When a physician recommends elective surgery, it may be required by the insurance plan. In other cases, insurance will not pay for a second opinion.

Patient believes they have a condition that the physician diagnosed incorrectly or failed to diagnose.

The physician themself recommends a second opinion.

Different payment procedures apply to different second opinions. For example, some health plans pay for second opinions for members; many employers offer free second opinion benefits through companies like Grand Rounds or similar companies; and some states have public programs for cancer second opinions.