Of course impact resistance is important, but cr-39 is pretty impact resistant in all powers, and is VERY impact resistant in moderate plus powers. Having been in practice many years, I can't remember seeing any injuries from a shattered cr39 lens, and I don't think I've EVER seen a broken cr39 lens above +2.00 in power. If it were a problem, I'm sure California at least would not allow kids to have cr39. Having said that, I use more and more Trivex every day.Originally Posted by golfnut
HAHAHA! "Small Office"
My situation: One M.D. and me. Thats it
Just got a phone call today from CIGNA giving us a heads up that as of May 1st, 2016: "...Cigna will be discontinuing VSP's Interated Primary Eye Care Program relationship with VSP..." in our state. Cigna will be offering "primary medical eye care services" directly.Anyone else hear of this where they are at? We have been asked to reply by tomorrow.
lol 1500sq feet is small! frame room is 300 at most.
Just interested in seeing what people are doing re: in-house finishing to increase profits with VSP. Currently we are using in-house finishing for SV lenses (usually with Poly and AR). We are finding that there is a definite profit to be made by doing those in-house rather than sending the job to the lab. As of yet we are not doing it for PAL's but this may be a mistake. We haven't been able to figure out whether or not VSP would still give us the PAL dispensing fee if we provided the PAL ourselves? There is usually a bifocal dispensing fee plus an additional PAL fee based on the level of PAL. Would we still get those if we dispensed it ourselves? Also, do we self-determine what constitutes a level O or N PAL? There are so many PAL's out there in the private sector that not all of them are listed by VSP. Therefore, how do we decide what to charge the patient for it? I assume that the way to do the math would be to look at what VSP's chargebacks are for the various progressives ie: if we can obtain the same progressive for significantly less than that amount then it would be worthwhile.
I thought the In Office Finishing program only applied to stock SV lenses ordered through Plexus?
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity
IT would be nice to be able to do it all on your own, but they do limit it to SV and you are supposed to order through Plexus. Though their selection of options suck, and you over pay a bit....
Though it is a lot better than paying all those chargebacks..
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
Right, it has to be sv AND a stock lens. Cannot be surfaced, unless you're cheating.
BTW in office edging of multifocals, non-stock rxs, etc, is ok for non-vsp and non-eyemed jobs, but not from the major labs who don't give you enough discount for uncut to make it worthwhile. Burn one lens and there goes the IOF profit for the day, or more. There are some discount labs that make it ok for lined multifocals and other surfaced lenses, but PALs? Doing fewer and fewer of those in office these days. And you get no "dr 1st time redos" on those. It doesn't pencil out.
As far as the vsp frame brands, I think you are free to use any brands that are listed in frames, except for VSP employees. They either have to choose a vsp brand or pay pretty much full price for the frame. And they will be chastised if they wear a non-vsp brand frame to work or to any vsp functions. Fortunately for most vsp providers, there are not too many vsp employees located nearby to them. Unlike my office, which really caters to hundreds of vsp employees. VSP HQ is about 10 miles from my office, and their biggest lab is located about 4 miles away.
Depends on what your edging breakage is running at. If you are running around 2-5% true edging breakage that small edging fee can add up fast. Also if you are a skilled operator your work should turn out looking much better than an assembly line one will. Also its faster.
fjpod, I have to ask how it is you define just fine?
If seeing more patients or even the same amount of patients before you took insurance, you ARE making less than you did before and THAT IS A FACT
You are simply incorrect. You don't have the facts. I am not making less than I did 10, 20, or even 38 years ago, even after you make allowances for inflation... even after you make allowances for the fact that my practice 38 years ago was maybe 10% third party, and now it is more like 75%.
It's a different world today. People have "insurance", at least where I live, and they like to use it. So, between insurance and the Internet, I've had to learn to adapt.
These are my facts.
I PM'd you...have lots of questions.
drdev- Pay a few bucks and join the private forum by subscribing. It's not open to the public. More of us can chime in and you'll help Steve keep OptiBoard going. I think the Bronze level is $60 a year.
Click on the top of the home page "settings" then under "My subscriptions" my account click "paid subscriptions" and choose a level.
VSP Standard Option ...............................
Having been outside in the wholesale and manufacturing of the optical trade for the last many years in Canada I am fascinated by these posts about vision insurance.
So I started to look it up on the internet and found what they advertise to pay for the purchase of glasses.
VSP Standard Option
Save with VSP Coverage Without VSP Coverage With VSP Standard Option Eye Exam $105 $10 Copay Frame ($160 allowance*) $160 $20 Copay Single Vision Lenses $92 Standard Anti-reflective Coating $114 $41
Last edited by Chris Ryser; 09-07-2018 at 01:17 AM.
Well of course Chris VSP is going to make themselves look like there's almost no cost to buying their product.
But the bottom line is you can make it work in your office if you have a really good optician.
Last edited by Uncle Fester; 09-07-2018 at 09:45 AM.
I agree that you can make it work, but I think you need to have a high volume practice. I am located at a slow practice and doubt it would work here. We just don't get enough patients. Of course you could argue that by participating you may get more volume, but right now we have such a low capture rate I wouldn't bet on it. (again, just my point of view in my office)Well of course Chris VSP is going to make themselves look like there's almost no cost to buying their product.
But the bottom line is you can make it work if your office if you have a really good optician.
One strategy that may increase your reimbursement rate is recommending Unity lenses for all of your younger patients. I can't stand their PALs and haven't fit a presbyope in any of their offerings for a couple of years. With kids, though, poly digital aspheric lenses are more often than not covered in full, and using the Unity brand (which doesn't make terrible SV lenses) apparently makes VSP happier than if you use another brand of digital aspheric SV.
I am not at all familiar with my office's VSP reimbursement rate or what the difference in reimbursement would be between standard SV and Unity SV, but my coworkers and I have been strongly encouraged by our management to use Unity products for any SV patient who has that option fully covered. The only reason I can think they'd care about it is $$$.
I've subscribed so I can access private forums. Looking forward to knowledge from everyone in the private forums.
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