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.