Stand-Alone Vision Plans May Not Join California’s Exchange

“Vision Service Plan's launch on California's new health care exchange is downright blurry, and the firm is seeing red,” says the Sacramento Bee. “The Rancho Cordova company and others in the vision industry lobbied successfully last year for the right to sell adult vision insurance to individuals via the state's new health care exchange.But a new controversy has emerged, raising the prospect that vision plans will not be part of the state's exchange, Covered California, when it begins offering health insurance Oct. 1.” Read more.

EyeMed Says New Approach Makes Business Easier for ECPs

EyeMed Vision Care is implementing an updated business model that will keep it simple for eye care professionals to do business with the company and improve exam reimbursements. The model was tested with more than 150 independent provider locations and is designed to support provider practice growth, simplify administration, and deliver a wide choice of products and labs, according to a company spokesperson. The model was designed over the past two years with input from more than 2,000 independent providers collected through focus groups, beta tests, and a pilot program of more than 150 different provider locations. Read more to find out about the benefit details.

CT Health Exchange Exchange Stand-Alone Vision Plans

“Surprisingly, stand-alone vision plans, like VSP Vision Care and Eyemed, have not yet been included in the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange when care begins on Jan. 1, 2014. If these plans are not permitted to participate when the exchange begins or at any future point, millions of people in our state could be forced to find new eye doctors,” writes Joel Roffer, a Farmington optometrist, in the Hartford Business Journal. “With such major changes affecting our healthcare delivery model, it's more important than ever that we urge our Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange Board to recognize the benefits of vision care and the importance of protecting consumer choice with the inclusion of stand-alone vision plans.” Read more.

Maryland Guv Signs Provision for Stand-Alone Vision Plans

"Governor Martin O’Malley just made Maryland the first state to sign into law a provision that will save the way millions access and receive vision care.  This law sets the stage for other votes that will take place across the country - in other states that are setting up their own health care exchanges," wrote a public relations representative for VSP. "The law enables stand-alone vision insurance companies – the way 90% of Americans receive eyecare – to provide benefits to residents through the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange (the marketplace for small businesses and the uninsured to purchase healthcare benefits).  They were overlooked by the federal government in the creation of health care reform. By signing this law, Governor O'Malley is ensuring that Maryland residents can keep their eye doctors and have access to eyecare that can actually mitigate long term health care costs due to the early detection of chronic diseases."