Who can hold insurance labs accountable?

[MaggieS]

Here is the backrond information that got me to put on the war paint and do battle:

Just another insurance company started to do lab work resulting in an OU +4.00 with a 4.5 mm edge thickness, power and PD correct. To cut cost the lab had obviously used a stock lens (not a 60mm blank either). It took me a lot of effort to have this job redone, but I did. Dispensing the much thinner and lighter weight lenses to the little girl was worth the effort.
Most frustating is the fact that the lab gets away with it most of the time. They are convinced that I am a trouble maker because everybody else would just dispense those glasses.
How can we ensure that opticianry does not get sacrificed just to raise an insurance company's profits?

[chip anderson]

Like the man said: "They send out the quality they are paid for."
Wait til you find out that the patients begin to think this is the quality your office is capable of and goes somewhere else to buy thier and thier families real glasses.

Chip

[MaggieS]

My point exactly. We are what we dispense!!!!

[LENNY]

Good luck fighting it!
Hopefully you only do one job a month from them!

[morinput]

Who can hold insurance labs accountable?

The answer is you can.
These companies could not exist without providers.

[MaggieS]

You are absolutely right! And yet, they do get away with producing garbage and, sadly enough, it gets dispensed.

[MaggieS]

Thank you. I have quite a bit of fight left in me.

I like your picture.

[thep]

When "choice of vendor" is out of the equation...you get what you got. Congrats for standing your ground!

[uncut]

In my books.....an insurance company owning a laboratory to supply insured eyewear would be classified as a conflict of interest.

I'm proud you stood up to them in this instance. Rock on!

[MaggieS]

Thank you Uncut, I totally agree with you.

[thep]

And a lens company who purchases multiple labs, equipment mfgs, supply companies and everything in between is not a conflict of interest?

[MaggieS]

Since we can't shoot them, maybe, an embargo would be the answer. I remember when Luxottica bought Lenscrafters, well, that was different because at least it was done openly, but the independent opticians put up quite a fight. In today's market, we can get along without these giant companies. Let's face it, all they really do well is marketing.

[bigeyejim]

hmmm....I bet you get really bad reimbursements as well. In my case, we have to use certain labs for one of our insurance companies. Add to that the horrible reimbursement rates, and it is a recipe for a lot of wasted time.

If you can afford it, drop them. If not, fight them. You don't want your reputation tarnished because of their poor quality work!

Cheers!