VSP 70 years old................................

**Chris Ryser** · 07-13-2005, 05:56 AM

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.--As it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Vision Service Plan (VSP) is teaming up with Jobson Optical Group to ask independent eyecare practitioners to share their stories of how their experiences with VSP, its labs, Altair Eyewear or Eyefinity have “influenced and supported your practice and helped you deliver superior eyecare.” Fifty of the ECP stories will be featured in upcoming issues of VM, 20/20 and Review of Optometry. In addition, all ECPs participating will be eligible to win one of several prizes, including Ipods.

**drk** · 07-13-2005, 08:30 AM

I think that's 50! That'd be 1955! Curse the guy who started VSP.:finger:

**slaboff** · 07-13-2005, 10:27 AM

I agree VSP is a very bad thing... slaboff aplauds drk :cheers:

**Andrew Weiss** · 07-14-2005, 05:18 PM

A 3rd to Slaboff's 2nd of drk. Perhaps I could write something like, "Words cannot describe my experiences with VSP" . . . :(

**cinders831** · 07-14-2005, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by drk

I think that's 50! That'd be 1955! Curse the guy who started VSP.:finger:

Perhaps I have missed something...we are VSP providers and much enjoy wrking with VSP, whats the issue, what am I missing? Of all of the third parties, and I deal with many junky ones I really appreciate VSP the most....please advise.
CIndy

**dlongod** · 07-14-2005, 09:06 PM

I am in my first year of practice, and I must say that I was very disappointed with VSP. Sure their service is great but their reimbursement is horrible. Good old Medicaid almost reimburses more than VSP!

**cinders831** · 07-14-2005, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by dlongod

I am in my first year of practice, and I must say that I was very disappointed with VSP. Sure their service is great but their reimbursement is horrible. Good old Medicaid almost reimburses more than VSP!

Are you kidding me right now? Seriously....We get reimbursed more for an exam with VSP then nearly all other insurances and when the lab is supplying the lenses and you get paid more for the dispensing then you charge for SV lenses any way and still make money for add ons and frames it is freaking amazing that people complain.
For example
EXAM $59.00
SV Lens $74.00
Frame $60.00
Cole Managed Vision pays 91.00
VSP pays depending on the cost of frame well over 150.00 and I am not supplying the lenses so really it seems win win. Payed for services and not paying for goods....man I am still having trouble with the vsp haters out there, please please help me make sence of it all.

**dlongod** · 07-15-2005, 11:48 AM

Cinders831,

No wonder you love VSP. You have your reimbursement numbers all wrong. Your exam fee reimbursemnt is right on the money but your dispensing fees for the single vision lenses and the frame are WAY off. Sure you have your add-ons but they are very minimal in the end because of the charge backs involved. I highly encourage you to sit down and analyze your next VSP payment and you will see exactly what I am talking about.

**drk** · 07-15-2005, 12:30 PM

Cinders:

Just complaining about third party, in general. VSP is certainly the best, IMO, of the bunch.

I, too, unfortunately think that your VSP numbers are quite a bit higher than what we're getting. Roughly, they take about 15% of your professional fees, and 25% of your optical fees, for an average of about 20% off, which is the "usual discount".

**sjthielen** · 07-16-2005, 07:57 AM

Try not to complain about VSP, You are still taking it!. We canned VSP 3 years ago. Best thing we have done in the last 3 years. If you don't like don't take it.

**cinders831** · 07-16-2005, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by drk

Cinders:

Just complaining about third party, in general. VSP is certainly the best, IMO, of the bunch.

I, too, unfortunately think that your VSP numbers are quite a bit higher than what we're getting. Roughly, they take about 15% of your professional fees, and 25% of your optical fees, for an average of about 20% off, which is the "usual discount".

My dispensing fee for sv lenses is 84.50. Thats more then I charge, and I am not supplying the lenses. I at least break even on the frames and I most always make more on the frame. Again my exam is on the high side for remibursement and not having to supply lenses and still making a decent reim. has me happy. Dont get me wrong, I much prefer cash pts but its a third party world and being in a GM town and taking there cruddy ins where as I stated in my above post my total reim for exam and sv glasses is 91.00 Ill take the VSP.

**Johns** · 07-16-2005, 10:55 PM

Cinders831:

I'd love to see your statement. I've never seen one with an $84.50 dispensing reimbursement.

**gilweber** · 07-17-2005, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by cinders831

My dispensing fee for sv lenses is 84.50. Thats more then I charge, and I am not supplying the lenses. I at least break even on the frames and I most always make more on the frame. Again my exam is on the high side for remibursement and not having to supply lenses and still making a decent reim. has me happy. Dont get me wrong, I much prefer cash pts but its a third party world and being in a GM town and taking there cruddy ins where as I stated in my above post my total reim for exam and sv glasses is 91.00 Ill take the VSP.

Wait a minute. Something isn't right here. Either you're not aware of what you really get, or you are in violation of the Provider Agreement, or there is a terminology-disconnect between what you're written and what I understand you're saying, or there's more to the story than you're telling us.

Are you saying that VSP pays you more to provide single vision lenses than you would charge your regular patients? More than your U&C?

No way. If that's happening something is very, very wrong. Third party payer contracts ALWAYS say that the fee you accept is the lower of the program's reimbursement or your U&C. You NEVER get paid more from a vision plan than your fee to a cash-paying patient.

Please look again at EXACTLY what you're receiving, what that payment covers, and then tell us again. If you are, in fact, receiving more from VSP than your U&C then perhaps VSP is not aware of your current U&C fee schedule. If VSP were aware you would likely be subject to audit.

You don't want to go there!! :finger:

Just my opinion, of course.

Now, if I'm not understanding what you're saying, and if your VSP payment for supplying single vision lenses covers more than the services you would provide to a cash patient, then please clarify. I would love to know how you managed to get VSP to pay you more than your U&C for anything.

Gil Weber, MBA

**cinders831** · 07-17-2005, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by gilweber

Wait a minute. Something isn't right here. Either you're not aware of what you really get, or you are in violation of the Provider Agreement, or there is a terminology-disconnect between what you're written and what I understand you're saying, or there's more to the story than you're telling us.

Are you saying that VSP pays you more to provide single vision lenses than you would charge your regular patients? More than your U&C?

No way. If that's happening something is very, very wrong. Third party payer contracts ALWAYS say that the fee you accept is the lower of the program's reimbursement or your U&C. You NEVER get paid more from a vision plan than your fee to a cash-paying patient.

Please look again at EXACTLY what you're receiving, what that payment covers, and then tell us again. If you are, in fact, receiving more from VSP than your U&C then perhaps VSP is not aware of your current U&C fee schedule. If VSP were aware you would likely be subject to audit.

You don't want to go there!! :finger:

Just my opinion, of course.

Now, if I'm not understanding what you're saying, and if your VSP payment for supplying single vision lenses covers more than the services you would provide to a cash patient, then please clarify. I would love to know how you managed to get VSP to pay you more than your U&C for anything.

Gil Weber, MBA

Heres the deal...It is the reimbursement before any copays and of course "add ons" for dispensing sv lenses, we are then paid for a case 2.00 I believe. The fee they are paying us isnt for us to supply our lenses so they are not paying us more for something that another pt would pay less they are giving us a dispensing fee. The reason I prefer VSP to most other insurances is Spectera for example, provides all product and then pays us 20.00 for our professional services. Are you kidding me? 20.00! Anyhow I realize that the 84.50 that our biller says we get is high but she explained to me that it was a dispensing fee for dispensing lenses and a frame. Of course less, if just a frame or just a lens. I will call her to clarify perhaps based on the previous posts I have misunderstood her all these years. I guess as the optical manager I need to be getting in touch with the office manager and see if this is true and just or if I am being fed wormy info.