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  1. #1
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    Spectera Insurance

    It has come to my attention that Spectera has gotten approval to provide vision coverage for 8 million federal government employees and retirees. Secure Horizon will switch to Spectera Jan 1, 07.
    There is an older thread regarding Spectera, but, I thought I'd start a new one. Can anyone offer some feedback on Spectera?

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder LENNY's Avatar
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    We end up always owe money to Spectera!

  3. #3
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    I am an optician, I would dispense only. The way I read things, they pay me a dispensing fee. I collect for the extras (surcharges) they get half , I get half.
    How do you end up owing them money? I suppose if you collect 100% of upgrades and they get half and the amount collected exceeds the dispensing fee...yes you would owe them money. You did in fact make money though. Correct?
    Last edited by CME4SPECS; 12-01-2006 at 06:27 PM.

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    It has been several years since I participated with Spectera. Do they have their own labs that have to do the work like VSP?

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by DocInChina View Post
    It has been several years since I participated with Spectera. Do they have their own labs that have to do the work like VSP?
    Yes, they have particular labs that you must use.

  6. #6
    OptiBoardaholic a1vo's Avatar
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    Spectera is one with bad reputation

    If you r part of chain w/ in-house lab, as per their requirements, you can sell ur own frames, use ur own lab and it is as good (or bad) as any other insurance plan. (2 of such places I worked in the past: Costco & For Eyes).

    If u r independent, not that good (at least on glasses). U have to use their lab, which been labeled as slow and poor quality. U supposed to sell the ugly frames they provided to u, but heard u can send ur own frame (but been reimbursed at wholesale upto $50). U collect add-on charges, they subtract them from the reimbursement. That's how u get into negative and have to write checks to them.

    There are no need to purchase any frames from them. Ugly frames are sent to u to show the members at no charge. They will even pick up the shipping charge when u decide to become a non-provider and send back ugle frames (true in 2003).

    Their reimbursement on eye exam of CL fitting is ok. CL fitting is part of CL materail fee. Reimbursement on CL is so-so.

    Things I do not know is "are their charges on the add-ons competitable to what I pay (a discounted rate) to my lab?".

    I think their "true reimbursement" = "listed reimbursement amount" - "co-pay u collect from the patient" (my memory is fading on this one)
    Paul @ Silicon Valley California

  7. #7
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    sorry double post
    Last edited by Happylady; 12-01-2006 at 07:27 PM.

  8. #8
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    We used to take Spectra for everything but now just for exams and contacts. We give a 20% discount for glasses. The Spectra lab took too long and quality was only fair.

    The Spectra frames were ugly and most patients wanted to buy frames from our shop. We couldn't sell them our frames but had to tell the lab which frame from our store they wanted and the lab had to supply it. If they couldn't supply the frame it might take them a couple weeks to let us know.

    We have a reasonable number of our Spectra patients use the 20% discount so it has worked out.

    Federal employees can choice from several vision plans including VSP. Of course Spectra is the cheapest so many might go with it.

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