VSP has started a pilot program as an internet retailer. The way I understand it, the VSP provider purchases a Website Service from VSP. And then, if a patient does not make a purchase after the eye exam, the office is asked/taught to assume the patient will shop online, and then educate the patient to buy online from the VSP site.
Each office sets their own fees for frames and lenses, on the VSP web pages attached to the VSP provider's website. VSP populates the site with Marchon and Altair frames, and VSP sets the wholesale fees for products. At present, all transactions are private pay; patients cannot use their VSP benefits - though that may change in the future. On the roll out, only Single Vision lens packages are offered.
I have a hand full of thoughts about this.
The first is that VSP providers are paying VSP for web services in addition to agreeing to VSP as wholesale lab of choice without comparative pricing of wholesale material fees.
Second, it seems like a bad idea to me, to begin teaching patients to shop for eye wear online…even with the belief the patient will buy from your own website. When VSP providers essentially sanction internet purchases, it seems crazy to believe that patients won’t shop around.
What am I missing?
I know internet retail is here to stay. It just seems like ECPs should have better options. There is opportunity for a private company to bring a better internet retail business model to market, one that is good for the lab, the patient, and the optical.
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