Living with Davis Vision

[NeGlassesGirl27]

If the optical is underunderused, any increase is an increase.
A patient that waits 6 weeks for an exam is someone that does not need immediate eyeglasses.
Telling a patient that we do not accept their insurance does not benefit the patient.
Getting the patient to our office and getting to explain their options is the opportunity to upgrade their services.

Just as some people refuse to participate with VSP or Medicaid, we have found a way to make both programs work in our office.

My real concern is...... Would an increase in Davis Vision customers cause a decrease in my current routine vision clients. My fear is the answer is yes. The current medical based clients would probably stay for "medical reasons", but other routine vision customers may go elsewhere if a new influx of clients pushed the waiting time to 8 weeks. I do realize that the Davis Vision client is a typically low profit margin client

Again, if you really honestly feel that bringing on Davis Vision is going to have a line out your door and you're going to make sooooo much money off of it...so be it but you're opening up a can of worms that I don't think you know what you're getting into. If people are dropping Davis Vision left and right..it isn't a good sign.

Think of it this way. How many patients per month call and ask if you accept Davis Vision? Do you really TRULY have THAT many people asking?

[OHPNTZ]

I like the plastic bin idea. Is it just one heap of frames that you have to dig through?

The davis rack is great if placed near a bathroom or in a low lit area. Allow cobwebs and dust to gather. Also leave gaps at eye level...

[AngeHamm]

The davis rack is great if placed near a bathroom or in a low lit area. Allow cobwebs and dust to gather.

That's fantastic. We should all go out before Halloween to buy some realistic cobwebs for our Davis racks.

I also really enjoyed the BO-reeking little man who installed our new Davis rack--and left me with all the packing materials to dispose of.

[NeGlassesGirl27]

The davis rack is great if placed near a bathroom or in a low lit area. Allow cobwebs and dust to gather. Also leave gaps at eye level...

It's a great idea AND it really does work effectively :bbg:

[AngeHamm]

The davis rack is great if placed near a bathroom or in a low lit area. Allow cobwebs and dust to gather.

Ha ha! Ours is both next to the bathroom and in a dim room.

[Happylady]

I like the plastic bin idea. Is it just one heap of frames that you have to dig through?

We have a few in those divided frame boxes but most of in plastic bins. We have one for children, one for women, one for men, and one unisex.

[jrumbaug]

Well, I thought this subject was dead and laid to rest until I re-read my information.

Is anyone part of the Davis Vision "IdealChoice" plan, or recieving compensation under this "new" fee schedule? I was told this program is not active yet.

[EyeSeeYou]

I began working in the optical business fresh out of college in 2002 and we accepted Davis Vision until 2010. We no longer accept it and hoohah, we aren't missing anything!!

[chip anderson]

Isn't it odd how so many times this comes up with Davis and other "vision insurances" getting over 90% negative experiences related and the origional poster almost always ends up saying: "I think I'm going to try it anyway?"
Must either have some really despairate opticals or some persuasive sales people at the insureance companies.

Chip

[Brolena 23]

Davis Vision's reputation of poor service and quality are well earned. Their reimbursement for care is insulting, and the quality of materials that come out of their lab requires my staff and I to apologize on their behalf constantly. We have gradually established a routine of taking the patient's medical insurance when possible, and advising the patient that it may take as much as ten weeks (10!) for them to receive their glasses. Davis Vision will need the opportunity to cut the job four times, because that's how many times it takes for them to get it right. We advise the patient to go home, relax, and have a glass of wine. Forget you ordered glasses, and in two months we'll call you. Alternatively they may pay a small fee ($30) and we will order the uncut blanks from Davis and cut them ourselves privately. Mostly importantly, as the job is ordered, we advise them of the poor quality of the Davis lab, so that when they receive the phone call from us saying that the job is going back to Davis for the third time because the right and left lenses were switched they're not surprised, and they don't blame us. They may let Davis cut their glasses the first time, but they ask us to do it the second time.

[APBOD]

Davis Vision's reputation of poor service and quality are well earned. Their reimbursement for care is insulting, and the quality of materials that come out of their lab requires my staff and I to apologize on their behalf constantly. We have gradually established a routine of taking the patient's medical insurance when possible, and advising the patient that it may take as much as ten weeks (10!) for them to receive their glasses. Davis Vision will need the opportunity to cut the job four times, because that's how many times it takes for them to get it right. We advise the patient to go home, relax, and have a glass of wine. Forget you ordered glasses, and in two months we'll call you. Alternatively they may y paa small fee ($30) and we will order the uncut blanks from Davis and cut them ourselves privately. Mostly importantly, as the job is ordered, we advise them of the poor quality of the Davis lab, so that when they receive the phone call from us saying that the job is going back to Davis for the third time because the right and left lenses were switched they're not surprised, and they don't blame us. They may let Davis cut their glasses the first time, but they ask us to do it the second time.

I had a good chuckle at this post. Its frightening that a company as bad as this one can grow to be as large as they have.

I can't think of another company in a different industry to use as an analogy to describe Davis....except Spectera....ah, but that's another "vision" company.

[LENNY]

I still have jobs from last year!

[chip anderson]

While I hate the concept and I am on no insureance companies "preferred list" I have to say that I am losing more customers that I thought were irrevolkably loyal "Because my insureance company made me." That and "my doctor sent me to the dispensary down the hall with a 20% off coupon."

I don't like it, but I'm too old and broke to change it.

Chip

[obedon]

Good luck with that ! I have worked for Davis they make the glasses in 5 man teams and the management makes them do 80 jobs an hour! Each team does approx. 640 jobs on an 8 hour shift That would give you an idea of the quality they are producing. The associates have begged to do less but management says NO. As of Monday January 23 the associates at Davis are on strike except for a few scabs. They generally pump out 5000 pairs a day going to be way less now. I would keep an eye on my turnaround time doesn't look good for providers.

[skt]

Davis sucks..you make no money and get a lab bill from them to boot....trying to talk my Doc into ditching it. I didn't spend over 30 years in this business to do "free glasses". HATE the plan!!!!!!!

[regional_manager]

I make plenty of money off of Davis and it brings a lot of people through the door. The turn around time sucks (usually about three weeks) but I tell the patient that up front. The best way to make money with Davis is to take their frames and put them in a box in the back. I just tell the patient that they x allowance for frames and try to sell Transitions and AR. If you use a frame from outside of the Davis selection it is an automatic $93 reimbursement plus whatever overage you collected from the patient. The trick is to guide the patient to the frames that you would like them to purchase.... It takes a little effort, but any good Optician should be able to incorporate this insurance into their dispensary successfully.

[Fezz]

I make plenty of money off of Davis and it brings a lot of people through the door. The turn around time sucks (usually about three weeks) but I tell the patient that up front. The best way to make money with Davis is to take their frames and put them in a box in the back. I just tell the patient that they x allowance for frames and try to sell Transitions and AR. If you use a frame from outside of the Davis selection it is an automatic $93 reimbursement plus whatever overage you collected from the patient. The trick is to guide the patient to the frames that you would like them to purchase.... It takes a little effort, but any good Optician should be able to incorporate this insurance into their dispensary successfully.

So, it is okay to swindle the patient?

[regional_manager]

So, it is okay to swindle the patient?

I don't look at it that way, and my patients don't either. As long as we are both happy what's the big deal? If you are going to take vision insurance then it's a game that you really need to learn how to play if you want to make money.

[Uncle Fester]

Local 408 web page on Highmark/Davis and their strike-

http://opticalworkers.com/408Home.html

As I understand how they work each "team" of I believe 4 employees is given 400+ jobs to do and the day is done when those jobs are done. Anyone besides me see a problem with this? Full disclosure- this method was from when we took it many years ago.

[LENNY]

80 jobs an hour! Each team does approx. 640 jobs on an 8 hour shift That would give you an idea of the quality they are producing. The associates have begged to do less but management says NO. As of Monday January 23 the associates at Davis are on strike except for a few scabs. They generally pump out 5000 pairs a day going to be way less now. I would keep an eye on my turnaround time doesn't look good for providers.

Depends how many edgers are there. U cut all the same frames. Shapes are in the system. One cut on a calibrated everyday edger. 1 person dots and blocks, one cuts on 3 edgers, one inserts and one verifies and adjust. The fifth one MANAGES!
LOL

[optidogg]

They have 5 man teams 5 edgers per team. Edgers are terrible optroics 6e sizes are terrible calibration doesnt hold. What cuts on one team in one cut cuts on another teams edgers to small or to big.

[Johns]

i had a good chuckle at this post. Its frightening that a company as bad as this one can grow to be as large as they have.

I can't think of another company in a different industry to use as an analogy to describe davis....except spectera....ah, but that's another "vision" company.

gm

[Hollyceceilia]

Unfortunatly, your office started to take Davis at a bad time. Davis Visions primary lab located in Pa has just gone on strike due to the fact that 2 weeks before Christmas our pay was cut in half.A Local 408 Optical Union Member

[cocoisland58]

How does a company bound by a union contract cut your pay in half without writing a new contract and having it voted on? Just curious.

[LENNY]

Ha ha! Ours is both next to the bathroom and in a dim room.

Ours also!!!!