So I noticed today that a job we did through Eyemed that had crizal alize with UV had the charge for AR and also a charge for Backside UV? So I guess I am stupid because I thought Crizal Alize with UV had UV? I called Eyemed and was told I should charge the patient the AR charge and A charge for UV. Guess I should charge UV on polycarb lenses also? I just was wondering if all opticals are charging UV charge for products that already include UV?
Eyemed needs to be itemized line item by line item so as not to lose money as you mentioned.
Also charge for grooved/semirimmless frames and drill mounting etc...etc...
This is the charge for "reflected" UV. It was introduced not too long ago by essilor on all of their AR products. If you are set on using essilor AR call your crizal rep as they have reimbursement coupons you can give to pt's that pay for the UV upcharge. The coupons are good with VSP pt's as well as eyemed.Originally Posted by TEC
I was curious about that issue as well. On some plans, Crizal is supposed to be a covered option, but not UV protection. So if Crizal products are only available with UV, why is it not covered?
Sometimes I think my head is going to explode.
Thank You. I understand Itemized line items. I charged for crizal alize with UV as advertised on my eyemed/essilor pricing. Guess I assumed I didn't have to charge twice for UV. I should maybe sell my frame in pieces. Nose pads, temple tips, etc. Just so frustrated with the WHOLE insurance scam.
I am far from set on using essilor products at all. One of my staff did the order and choose poorly! I actually like to use ziess. Essilor loves when I order ziess.
Judy, it's been that way since they made the formulation change. VSP nor EyeMed are going to cover Essilors "price increase" for cough..cough...their reformulation to include UV, when the benefits aren't worth but $.02. Hell, if it wasn't for this forced increase their earnings increase for the year would be even lower than what they are coming out with. Heads would have rolled :)
VSP and Eyemed both charge for the "backside UV" coating. They tacked this charge on without telling anybody, so even though you were probably selling it at a "packaged" price (i.e. we sell it for $110, with or without the UV) we now have to itemize it as $90 for the coat and $20 for the UV. I tell the patient flat out that their insurance is what is making us charge/itemize this extra "cost" to them, and encourage them to call their insurance to complain.
Mind you, this is not including the inherent poly UV protection and that kind of stuff, just the backside AR. even though it already was backside ... ummm yeah. *sigh* they suck.
"what i need is a strong drink and a peer group." ... Douglas Adams - Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy
Not true. It's not a managed care cause, they weren't covering it. Essilor is the cause as they made it a non-option by raising the price to all labs.
VSP includes backside UV at no difference in price, so no, there's no "package" price with or without, they now include it on their products.were probably selling it at a "packaged" price (i.e. we sell it for $110, with or without the UV
Then you're informing them incorrectly and if you want to see a managed care company cover backside as part of their formulations, then I suggest you get in line with Essilor to find out how you both can make that happen without any cost increases. VSP includes theirs as they can better control those costs on coatings they produce. Makes sense.I tell the patient flat out that their insurance is what is making us charge/itemize this extra "cost" to them, and encourage them to call their insurance to complain.
So how is Eye med closing the loop on in house edging and ordering there highly priced lenses?
We try to submit while the patient is still in the office or tell them when we submit if there's a discrepancy we'll call them before submitting it.
I'll often say at the end of this in a light hearted way "Sometimes with these insurances I feel like a used car salesman" and I do when an authorization tells me to charge xx for the lenses only to find out at billing that because they did not get a frame it's only a straight 20% and the price is actually xxx.
My head exploded in 1998.
so in short, yes, they are welcome to be covering their costs too. BUT the fact that they itemize it out like that is confusing to the patient AND the opticians. The cost (at least through our lab) is the same as it was when it was Avance w/SGP, but i now have to itemize out the UV cost when doing an eyemed or vsp claim.
"what i need is a strong drink and a peer group." ... Douglas Adams - Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy
I just recieved a single vision -.75 ou poly standard ar back from my essilor lab.....the charge back was $xxxx....I had previously negotiated an xxxx/pair price from that same lab for standard poly ar. I called the lab and asked them for the price on their most expensive poy with a standard ar lens, and they quoted me xxxx. I then asked them why was it they just charged back for that same lense $xxxx. there was a definate silence on the other end. This lab I have been doing a great buisness with for many many years. I asked them if they feel they are screwing me at all on the cost of the charge back. another loud silence.
I understand this is a negotaited price with eyemed. the conclusion is that eyemed and essilor are successfully over charging their wholesale accounts and the way I am seeing it, not enough of us are voicing our outrage over this!!!
collectivly we can change this practice
Last edited by Steve Machol; 01-22-2014 at 01:02 PM. Reason: Removed wholesale prices
please remove pricing from your post.
Sorry folks, about the wholesale costs.
Just expressing strong concern for half of our transaction slipping away from us.
if eyemed grows our lively hood will change in a way that will eventually reduce pay and benefits to our employess and will water down the lion share of this industry.
I still beleive the grande scheme is for luxottica is that most opticians drop the vision plan so cunsumers will frequent their own stores!!
We are in direct competition with them.
We as independents CAN change this course!!!
Last edited by DickR; 01-22-2014 at 01:31 PM. Reason: mispelled
Does anyone know if we can charge for labor costs as a non covered item?
Read the contract. Any doubts you may want to have a lawyer advise you on what you don't understand. You can interrupt it as you wish at your risk.
Rhetorical question--- What do you think Eye Med will say if you ask them if you can charge more than they think you should?
My 2 cents
ok thanks Fester, but the question was if any one knows.....
HOW TO AVOID CHARGE BACKS:
In office finishing, we don't even use the BIG 3 labs anymore for stock or uncut lens orders anymore. Too over inflated with their pricing, even after the "eyemed" discount.
DickR Thank You. This is an outrage. Yes Eyemed and Essilor are raping us. I just got another charge back for grooving of a frame? They don't charge for a metal frame. Just grooved. I called Eyemed they can't tell me why. Lots of on hold time. COLLECTIVLY WE CAN CHANGE THIS PRACTICE! Where is AOA? The WOA? All the other associations? I Get paid less for an exam now than in 1988? What other product has gone backwards in price for 20 years? I offered over a year ago to form a group and start to lobby the politicians but nobody, Not even 1 person expressed interest. Yes I can drop Eyemed. Yes I may Drop Eyemed. I opened to be independent, Not an employee of eyemed and essilor, Which are telling me to raise my prices, and add more charges if I want to make any money on Eyemed.
Frustrated...Good Day
Eyemed requires you to order stock lenses from them for every job you cut in office. It cost me more to edge in office cause of the inflated price of single vision lenses that they charge. They track it by claims submission.
Speaking of an Eyemed question!
In my years the office I was last in NEVER took Eyemed. I recently moved and I'm in a new office that does.
The question happens to lay in the "Copays" for lenses, materials, and lens options. In the State of Alabama any "Goods" sold must have tax applied to the "Goods". Now there's a small debate in this office over whether or not the Lens Materials and Lens Options "Copay" is a actual true Copay, or is it like VSP and a Lens Option Price where taxes (Permitting your State's Tax Laws) are and must be applied. One person here has the notion that Eyemed and VSP pay us Taxes on these options so that we may pay the State, County, and Local taxes..... however that notion was quickly disproven.
So how do you guys and gals whom do and have taken Eyemed for some time do this. Do you truly view it as a Copay that can not be taxed, or do you view it as a Lens Price Option and Tax that amount?
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
~ Mark Twain ~
Easy way to change it... Drop EM! We did and we're still here. Who's coming with us?? If you want to see someone go toe to toe with the big 3, check out Craig Steinberg, OD JD.
"What our profession is missing is an entity designed to represent optometric interests, go toe to toe, and say, ‘This isn’t fair.’ We need to see if there’s room to negotiate and do it from a position of strength. We need to have the resources to sue them if that what it takes, or hire lobbyists to get laws changed if that’s what it takes. I don’t have the resources to hire a lobbyist. Several thousand optometrists contributing a few dollars every month would have the resources to get a law changed.”
http://optometrytimes.modernmedicine...ation-launched
Can I get odds on that?
I still say that advocating to change the ACA to a single payer system by the whole independent optical world would be more effective in getting the tail (deeeep pocket insurance and managed care corporations) to stop wagging the dog (us!). It's the big boy's biggest fear and why they are so nervous about it succeeding.
[QUOTE=jakef;477163]Easy way to change it... Drop EM! We did and we're still here. Who's coming with us?? If you want to see someone go toe to with the big 3, check out Craig Steinberg, OD JD.
Jakef I would and probably will drop eyemed. The big concern is the 3 largest employers in town have em. In a town of less than 4000 that can be a lot. Second it's the fact that if I drop em, the guy down the street will take them. It's a hard call as an optician/small business. isnt 20 bucks better than no bucks? you know what else cracks me up? Through my wifes employer, I have vsp, but can't take it at my store! Love telling ppl that inquire about vsp at my store that. Didn't 3 drs sue specterrible and win just recently? That maybe our only glimmer of light. I have only been on the new em model/pay plan since december 2. I am watching them close. My essilor lab rep hates me cause I tell her what I think. I dont know if she works for essilor or eyemed anymore. I don't know if she knows who she works for!
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