Discounts on VSP??

[ilanh]

Does anyone offer rebates or discounts on VSP? Does VSP allow you to do that? The issue has popped up several times when we are trying to convince a patient to purchase a particular option that we consider essential. In such cases it would be convenient for us to discount or comp the option for the patient. Here are some concrete examples:

A young myope wants to get sunglasses using his VSP insurance. After choosing frame and lenses he cancelled the entire order because tinting the lenses would have cost him another $14 as per VSP. We could have absorbed that cost or even tinted it elsewhere for a nominal fee.

A high myope selects 1.70 hi index lenses in a beautiful frame. The patient then refuses AR coating due to cost. We feel so strongly about it that we are willing to absorb some of the VSP extra cost.

A monocular patient balks at the extra cost for Poly. We would gladly absorb some of that extra cost.

There are many other examples. To date we have not discounted or rebated VSP in any way because we were not sure that we could do that.

[gemstone]

VSPs got to love you. Here , have some salt and pepper.

[Ray Parent]

VSP, or any insurance for that matter, will never penalize you for giving deeper discounts than the plan requires. Take a sharp look at your EOB's though, particularly on regional/value plans, I was really surprised at how little the office made after costs in some cases.

[allanon]

If you order 1.70, you're gonna get docked for the AR, even if you don't order it with AR.

The fees are what they are and you don't have a lot of say (VSP). When was the last time you got something for free? Not from me.

[Happylady]

I've not charged for a polish when I sent a job to a lab that polishes all poly, but that is the only thing I've not charged for. I just tell the patient that the charges are set for us.

I thought 1.7 always came with premium AR, has this changed?

Sometimes I sell standard AR instead of premium even though I think the premium is much better.

[MarcE]

If all you patients were VSP, you wouldn't be able to pay your overhead. I feel that you can only make money on VSP if you have unused capacity in you appointment book. You have already given them a 20-35% discount per your VSP contract, any more and you are losing money.

I wouldn't cater to someone that won't pay $14 for sunglasses. According to bill collection agencies, 2% of the population tries to get something for nothing. They have no intention of paying, even if sent to collections. I suspect that this patient was one of those. Catering to these customers is bad for business.

[ilanh]

We have a different attitude about it. VSP is a very significant player for us. We see about 5-10 of their patients each day. In addition to optical revenues they often have PPO or medicare insurance that they use with us. We also deal with a vsp approved lab that gives us major breaks on "second pairs" and other credits that can be applied to our private patients. We leverage our vsp business with these labs to get better deals for our private jobs. We also feel that VSP patients are overall much more likely to get glasses from us that our patients without vision plans. Therefore, we do bend over backwards to cultivate VSP business and to make their patients happy. Many of them have the attitude that they will "take strictly what vsp pays and not a penny more". We accept that non-judgementally.

[DrNeyecare]

Wouldn't you be penalized for giving discounts if you were audited, similar to if you were to over charge a patient?

[Jo]

There are issues with contact lens rebates see the Vistakon warning -



https://www.jnjvision.com/acuvueReba...name=allbrands

NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS: If you are personally filing a claim for reimbursement from a third-party payer (e.g. insurance company, employer group, etc.) for the purchase of this product, your claim must be based upon your payment less the amount of this rebate. If your doctor is filing the claim, you must notify the doctor’s office of the need to deduct this rebate amount from the purchase price used in calculating the claim. Offer valid for U.S. residents only. Offer good only in the U.S. Offer not valid where prohibited by law

It may not be an issue with VSP but it might be an issue if there is a secondary insurance plan - just make sure to reflect this in your insurance billing.

[cocoisland58]

If you need to comp 14.00 to save a sale then go for it. If a person doesn't want to spend the extra money for AR but still wants to buy the glasses then let them have what they pay for. You don't make money by giving it away. If you work within the confines of managed care sometimes you do not have the freedom to give the patient premium products. It is what it is. It would be wonderful if every patient walked out of the store with the best you had to offer. That is not realistic and the fact that they should have gotten something because you felt strongly about it but chose not to spend the money is not a reflection on you but is their own choice.

[Johns]

A young myope wants to get sunglasses using his VSP insurance. After choosing frame and lenses he cancelled the entire order because tinting the lenses would have cost him another $14 as per VSP. We could have absorbed that cost or even tinted it elsewhere for a nominal fee.

You've Got To Be Kidding Me!!

This guy has insurance, is paying discounted prices to begin with, picks premium products, and you want to discount it even more!?!?!?

Do you wear a badge that say hit me, kick me, beat me, abuse me? Why on earth would you be compelled to offer anything extra to these cheapskate, tightwads!!

Charge them the pittance your allowed to and tell them to get lost if they don't like it.

If some goofball decides he's too cheap to get the AR, even though you described the benefits, too bad. Charge him double when he comes back whining.

Geeeze!!

[Audiyoda]

You've Got To Be Kidding Me!!

This guy has insurance, is paying discounted prices to begin with, picks premium products, and you want to discount it even more!?!?!?

Do you wear a badge that say hit me, kick me, beat me, abuse me? Why on earth would you be compelled to offer anything extra to these cheapskate, tightwads!!

Charge them the pittance your allowed to and tell them to get lost if they don't like it.

If some goofball decides he's too cheap to get the AR, even though you described the benefits, too bad. Charge him double when he comes back whining.

Geeeze!!

Now that right there made my week! And my week doesn't start until tomorrow!

I get so fed up with insurance patients that want the moon, stars, along with 18 pairs of glasses all covered by their insurance.

If that patient can't see the benefit of investing $14 into a pair of sunglasses (ilanh--why only $14 - who missed/forgot to explain the benefits of polarized lenses in your office???) then something more that $14 is wrong with this guy. Same on the AR job...

This is where patient education is so important. I know patients at my office get frustrated when I try to educate them - I've asked and asked the doctor to help me with this, but he's rather stay with the status quo rather than see his patient's better educated about their purchase - and a major purchase at that. Patient's here have never been educated about the products they were buying - and let me tell you, it shows every time I need to explain that dog bites don't count towards AR and/or SRC warranties.

Educate your patients - it starts in the chair doc - if you tell them it's a benefit they'll believe you long before they'll believe your staff.

[Uncle Fester]

IMHO these are patients you don't want! Trust me- let'em walk or switch them to something cheaper!! VSP discounts are deep enough:finger:

[Fezz]

IMHO these are patients you don't want! Trust me- let'em walk or switch them to something cheaper!! VSP discounts are deep enough:finger:

Exactly! Bravo!!

[orangezero]

All joking aside, I think this is a decent illustration of the stratification of our "industry" and the strife it causes.

There is always someone willing to give away what others have as a sole source of income, whether it be products or services.

sorry, ilanh, I can't answer your question. I'd probably go straight to the source and see what they say.

[drk]

Ilan, I feel your pain.

I think you COULD get away with waiving the patients' out of pockets for add on's and upgrades, but I don't think VSP would like it. They're a fussy lot, and they stickle on details in a very anal way. I wouldn't play fast and loose with anything VSP. I just know them.


For crying out loud, Ilan, I know you are as far removed from an optician as any poster here, but you cannot justify what you're doing with "professionalism". Yes, VSP is a practice "feeder", but you have to follow the rules.

I'm sure you wouldn't throw in AK on your phacos because you feel like the patient really needs their ATR cylinder reduced. Why give away stuff for free?

You need.....LENS PACKAGES!

Simple: use the Essilor concept (EVIL Essilor, that is...Evil geniuses)

1.) Airwear with Crizal Alize for anyone
2.) Thin & Lite (1.67) with Crizal Alize for high prescriptions (generally -8.00 up)

Offer a Transitions upgrade.


DONE! (Oh, offer a CR39 level for progressives, too...saves on cost, and saves on price of Transitions)


Package these prices for private pay and for VSP patients. Don't sell it a la carte, and see what happens.