anyone else seeing this happen? We look up all of our patients eyewear benefits the day before so we will be able to give them an idea of what will and won't be covered when they come in, and since the beginning of the year i'm seeing significantly less Davis Vision and VSP, and waaaaay more eyemed. anyone else? bueller?
"what i need is a strong drink and a peer group." ... Douglas Adams - Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy
thats because practices like mine have recently dropped the plan. Luxoticazation is painful. Ready to cry uncle yet?
We have noted a uptick in Eyemed patients since the New Year. It has been significant enough to have been discussed around the office. Apparently two local manufacturing type businesses have switched from Davis (which we don't take) to Eyemed. We are seeing the patients we lost when we stopped dealing with Davis come back and then some.
Are you making any more money...or just doing much more work?
We haven't seen a bump in Eyemed yet. Although I would rather have more Eyemed than Davis or Spectera. VSP and Self-pay would be ideal. In fact we are marketing to try and have only VSP and self-pay in the future. Managed care isn't any way to survive in this industry IMO
What is VSP but managed care. If you are planning on marketing I certainly would not advertise to the VSP membership. If you are are current provider for VSP they are listing you as a provider in their web site. I would concentrate my efforts on those individuals without managed care.Originally Posted by erichwmack
If we could stop taking Davis that would be my DREAM haha ... i'm tres jealous :) It always used to be a pretty even spread between eyemed and VSP on our books with the occasional spattering of Davis, now it seems like more eyemed than anything else. Its just an observation :) wondering if everyone else is noticing the same uptick.
@uilleann: I think more people are certainly stopping by the optical store, and technically its less work since eyemed now thinks that no private practice can edge in house. The reimbursement really isn't too awful. The worst part is not edging in house anymore. And the fact that the lab can't even send us uncuts.
"what i need is a strong drink and a peer group." ... Douglas Adams - Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy
Thread: We're getting all these EyeMed patients! I wish they'd leave...
Thread: We're getting all these VSP patients! I wish they'd leave...
Thread: We're losing patients to online! Why won't they come see me...?
I have not seen any increase. If anything I have noticed a decline similar to what some others have seen. Our schedule is less than 10% Eyemed this week. I wouldn't even mind more Eyemed. Despite the irritations and inconveniences of their new model, my profitability with them is the same as it was, which is much better than VSP (unless perhaps you are selling all VSP product in which case the kickbacks may make up the difference).
I'm sure it has more to do with the plan choices of major employers in your area more than it has to do with Eyemed marketing, since we all know their marketing is only trying to send people to their own locations.
Well on a positive note Intel just switched employees to VSP. At least in the phoenix plant.
We've seen a steady decline in VSP over the past 2 years. Picked up EyeMed about the same time and about the same numbers since then. No Davis here.
Yep. They are at an all time record number now. Soon to be announced.
We are lucky here in Georgia, the courts decided Eyemed couldn't tell us which labs to use.
Speaking of Eyemed and VSP, we just recently noticed a change in their charge backs. If a patient selects a Tier 1 (or better) non glare coating (we primarily use Crizal products), not only do they collect a charge back on the non glare, but also an additional charge back for UV coating. (this is for using their labs) So now we have to collect copay on the non-glare and UV. Any one else notice that... check your EOBs!
Ding, Ding, Ding! We have a winner! At least in my offices, since the one Doc started taking VSP and Eyemed, Very un-sustainable business model for opticals.
Been like this since the reformulation on Crizal. In Dec. last year VSP began including UV on their unity product at N/C thus you don't have to collect anything further. Essilor responded with a $10 rebate for patients further proving it was nothing but a move to raise their pricing for the wholesale world.
Right. Because a company like Essilor couldn't possibly have any sort of R&D cost in developing new product. Ever.
And of course, we all know that VSP would never jump on someone else's bandwagon. Ever.
You talk funny. Say more words!
What's the difference between Essilor giving a $10.00 rebate and VSP giving a spiff/rebate for selling their Unity products or $20.00 for selling a Marchon/Altair frame. It's rhetorical no response is required.
R&D for backside UV? Now THAT's funny stuff. You can't make that up people .
VSP: Making UV option and keeping the costs lower vs. Essilor: not providing anyone any choice whatsoever and instead raised the price without even working with managed care co's to determine if it's new product was formulary worthy. That's a funny definition of jumping on a bandwagon. Sounds to me like those are two completely different wagons.And of course, we all know that VSP would never jump on someone else's bandwagon. Ever.
Clearly Big E made the move to drive profits for shareholders. They made the move early in the year and it's a good thing or else they wouldn't have been able to show that mere 1.5% revenue increase for the year.
Back at you.You talk funny. Say more words!
Last edited by racethe1320; 02-18-2014 at 09:40 PM.
The first one makes up to the patient for having to pay $10 more where as the latter rewards the patient $20 more.
Big E took something from the patient (and labs and ECP's - both now pay more) with the whole Backside UV move and then found out VSP wasn't going to follow suit with their product (so much for jumping on that bandwagon) so they had to back-peddle and provide the patient their money back via a rebate which we all know may more may not get redeemed (yet they continue to charge the labs more which in turn have pass those costs on to the ECP. Essilor wins, others lose....go figure.
VSP isn't charging anyone anything and instead is Providing backside UV as standard now.
Last edited by racethe1320; 02-18-2014 at 09:47 PM.
If you can't figure out how to make money following their rules you are seriously doing something wrong....
I guess we have a difference of opinion on "making money". Yes you make money, selling a bottle of cleaner I "make money", just no where near a cash customer. Not being an OD but an optician, I prefer to not work for half my rate, you guys are used to it.
Hire a Mctician for$8-12 bucks an hour and go to it.
Riiiight. Because you know, optical science and technology advancements just spontaneously happen all the time. But in your restricted VSP/managed care bubble, it doesn't count unless your camp did it first huh? Please do tell us all more about the massive innovations, first to come out of VSP's bleeding edge R&D department. You may want to wait a while for the crickets to quiet down first of course...R&D for backside UV? Now THAT's funny stuff. You can't make that up people .
The really interesting thing is that no one is forced to use Crizal products, or anyone else's A/R lens for that matter - including VSP members. And yet, many of them ask for it by name. Sure patients have choices in their eyewear - though we all know, and you better than most - that those choices are extremely and severely limited by VSP and managed care networks. You seem to think that Essilor, or any other lens or frame manufacturer should grovel on bended knee to the will and whimsy of VSP at every turn and "work with them to determine if a given product is somehow magically worthy" of offering to their patients?
You sir are a master on the water skis! It's been decades since I've seen someone jump the shark quite as deftly as this!
We have seen a bit of increase in EyeMed this year. Around here mostly the engineers have it and they want the appointments at the end of the day and their decision making process is quite detailed. When these companys offered VSP to those same engineers it seemed to be slightly less painful as understaning co pays and options was less convoluted for them.
so how about you stay on-point and tell us about the R&D involved with Backside UV that justified the price increase implemented by Essilor when the changeover occurred.
Did I state the above? Please direct me where such a statement was implied. Oh never mind, you implied that not me.
But in your restricted VSP/managed care bubble, it doesn't count unless your camp did it first huh?
Again with your magic spin button...where did I imply the above related to the topic of UV or AR's or materials? Oh wait, again, that's your spin again.Please do tell us all more about the massive innovations, first to come out of VSP's bleeding edge R&D department.
Really? So patients have a choice as to Crizal with or without UV? How about labs...do they have a choice to produce it with or without? Please direct me to one as I'd like to buy it without paying more for backside UV.The really interesting thing is that no one is forced to use Crizal products, or anyone else's A/R lens for that matter - including VSP members. And yet, many of them ask for it by name. Sure patients have choices in their eyewear - though we all know, and you better than most - that those choices are extremely and severely limited by VSP and managed care networks.
Again with the spin. Where did I indicate groveling was needed? The guidelines for manufacturers to have products to hit a forumulary for any managed care company are pretty clear. The choice to meet them is all theirs and they know that. Instead Essilor decides to create products that perhaps they see value in then complain when MC asks them to back up said claims. If the patients deem them worthy key derivative being worth, paying for, then they will. I think we all know how that works out for Essilor given the impact seen when products are not on a forumulary.You seem to think that Essilor, or any other lens or frame manufacturer should grovel on bended knee to the will and whimsy of VSP at every turn and "work with them to determine if a given product is somehow magically worthy" of offering to their patients?
Last edited by racethe1320; 02-19-2014 at 05:40 PM.
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