VA HB 1444 passed through the State Senate!

Just be out-of-network and save yourself the hassle. It's not the road to Utopia.

Yup. That's what I'm thinking. I know most Opticians think that gaining access to these plans will make all the difference. The reality is that the only people making money on vision care plans are the vision care plans...and the companies who own them.

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Originally Posted by Kurrjur

Will this allow independent opticians to become vsp providers? We have been discriminated against from vsp for years. They tell us we can not be a provider without a doctor.

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Nope. You also haven't been discriminated against. Unless you're like 80yrs old, you knew going in that opticians weren't going to be allowed on their panel and chose your profession anyway. Besides do you really need managed care? Do they really need more providers? If anything they are all paring down their networks.

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Originally Posted by Judy Canty

The reality is that the only people making money on vision care plans are the vision care plans...and the companies who own them.

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Yeah, because Luzerne Optical isn't profiting at all from managed care. Come on Judy.....and the doctors you're calling on as a rep....like you don't see them being profitable? You know better.

Race, BACK OFF.

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Originally Posted by Judy Canty

Race, BACK OFF.

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Or identify yourself.

Ok, so Judgment Day is here. Post-Jan 1, 2016 and HB. 1444 goes into effect.

So far, EyeMed says the legislation only applies to new contracts. Existing providers will need to cancel their current contract and re-apply with no guarantee of acceptance. Acceptance will be determined by the number of providers currently available. Needless to say, Lux has opened very many new outlets in Targets in VA.

Heather B in Oregon, where similar legislation was passed, notes that VSP required her practice to sign an "opt out" contract agreeing to a reduction in reimbursement amounts. She billed $22,000.00 and received $3,000.00 in reimbursements.


Another day...another screw...or nail.

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Originally Posted by Judy Canty

Ok, so Judgment Day is here. Post-Jan 1, 2016 and HB. 1444 goes into effect.

So far, EyeMed says the legislation only applies to new contracts. Existing providers will need to cancel their current contract and re-apply with no guarantee of acceptance. Acceptance will be determined by the number of providers currently available. Needless to say, Lux has opened very many new outlets in Targets in VA.

Heather B in Oregon, where similar legislation was passed, notes that VSP required her practice to sign an "opt out" contract agreeing to a reduction in reimbursement amounts. She billed $22,000.00 and received $3,000.00 in reimbursements.


Another day...another screw...or nail.

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Another loophole.

Aaaah yes, FEAR and LOATHING all the way from Mason, OH to Richmond, VA

Anybody that thought/(thinks) they wouldn't be *punished* by going outside where VCP's want you to send the Rx work was/is delusional. It will all be carrot/stick in the future if you decide to maintain a relationship with them.

An update please, how is this going in Virginia and other opt-out states?

I suppose everything is ok. Not much conversation on the topic anymore.

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Originally Posted by ak47

An update please, how is this going in Virginia and other opt-out states?

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The bill never made it to committee, so we are safe until the next session. It will most likely be brought up again though.

I attended a meeting where the president of the MA Assoc. of Opticians was a guest, and I asked him if there was any effort to get a similar law passed in our Commonwealth. I was very disappointed to hear there wasn't/isn't. It would be high on my to-do list if I were in his position.