Apparently.
They seem a great fit for each other really.
Apparently.
They seem a great fit for each other really.
So we have chains, chains, and more chains.
And we have websites, websites, and more websites.
And we have less independents, independents, and independents.
Is it just me? Is it going to reach the point, somewhat soon, where a VSP-Eyeconic-VisionWorks sales rep and an EyeMed-Essilux sales rep will be offering an employer group (or benefits group) a sweet deal for their group:
"Hey, we have 5,000 locations. For just $200/member, we will offer them a plan that gives a routine exam, frames, and lenses. The savings will be amazing!"
"Nah, our employees just go online to your websites and buy their glasses and online exam for $50. We give them a $50 annual allowance. We save $150 per employee. Our savings on benefits is amazing."
I think VSP just purchased an outmoded vision care delivery system, and they don't know it. Maybe next they'll be buying some shopping malls.
Here's the Big Bang to come (right now we're in the first millisecond):
https://www.cvs.com/content/optical
My old company actually helped to set up the CVS opticals and we provided their lenses as their lab. After 6 months they canned their contract with said company because they wanted a 3 day turn around. Our lab was not set up to handle that kind of job flow unfortunately. They honestly have no idea what running an opticals entails so unless they've wised up since my leaving it may fizzle out as quick as they opened.
This is the kind of story where I'll miss Mr. Ryser's search and post skills.
Quick google shows no hard news. Uillean- is this just Optidirt for now?
From the horse's mouth.
http://newsroom.vspglobal.com/vsp-gl...re-visionworks
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
Sick of VSP's antics and hype that their for the Independents. B.S.! I'm so glad I'm nearing the end of my career in this industry. 5 years and I'm out.
ditto me..glad Im nearing the end!
How will this affect and what does it mean to Independents? Love to hear what people think.
http://www.visionmonday.com/latest-n...6AE64CBF1B101C
The future is bright...for the experts. There will be demand.
For the "meh", well, you might need a hook.
For the crappy: you have more crap competition.
Just another example of Big Optical continuing to get larger with no concern for what happens to independents. If you're an independent and tired of BO’s negative impact on our industry then make a stand!
There are hundreds of great private label frame designers. We work with practices constantly that want to break away from managed care when it comes to their lens options. Producing your own premium multi-focal lenses in-office is easy and economical with FastGrind. I am not trying to push FastGrind, or say that it’s the only route. But I am saying that you shouldn’t just keep letting VSP and all the other conglomerates beat you up and dictate how you run your practice.
Take a stand and do something different! If you’re still accepting VSP next week you’re directly funding all of the VSP+Visionworks marketing that is about to roll out.
If you want to learn more about producing multi-focals in-house with FastGrind, call our office 513-321-2456 and ask for Hugh. Nothing makes me happier than helping someone get out from under Big Optical’s thumb. We are proudly independent and have been serving independents since 1923!
Then why do you need VSP? I'm sure your business is fantastic and you do provide all of those things. But, your statements seem contradictory. You will lose 30% of your customers if you stop taking VSP, implying the only reason they are coming to your store is for VSP "discounts". But if they get a far better discount elsewhere, you will only lose a handful. What happened to the 30% that were only there for the discount? Also, getting a better benefit at Vision World vs your store is a best case scenario. More likely, is VSP just slowly drops places that aren't VW as providers.
There will be a big asterisk in the “Doctor must own 51% to be accredited “.... (*Except doctors affiliated with our corporate owned stores)....
You doc’s that feed the beast by signing up on their (and other) insurance programs now get to enjoy a big disadvantage trying to compete for your local market share. I will bet a bright shiny PD stick that VW will be a “Premiere “ provider. Bigger discounts and incentives for members to use their own locations.
The writing has has been on the wall for years that VSP has wanted and craved a National chain to purchase so they can control where their members go to purchase. They envy eyemed having LC. Once they have enough market saturation they will be dropping independents and/or dropping reimbursement to the independent outlayers....
This is bad news also for Opticianry. Since most Opticians work at locations that take insurance, your doc is going to see a squeeze on income and profit which will affect how much he/she can afford to pay you...
Us Opticians (especially seasoned ones) have seen the chains and Insurance companies diminish and de-value our profession. ODs cannot afford our knowledge and the Chains will not pay and are constantly lobbying to get Licenses removed. I truly believe that we (Opticians) must specialize in Lenses and offer things that the chains and Privates do not. I am starting to offer Glass (yes GLASS), specialty lenses, repairs (a lost art) and fit High Rx/Prisms. Chains only go to 6 total diopters of prism and do not touch any difficult Rx's. Specialization will be our only way to stand out.
We still take VSP here, but it is the only managed vision care we take. We do take direct pay from a few benefit plans that still do it that way also. Thank goodness we are at least 50% private pay, I know we are "lucky" that we are that way, but we have worked hard to make it that way. I could drop VSP tomorrow and exist, but for now the juice is still worth the squeeze.
Can someone remind me of their original slogan?
I think it went "By Optometrists for Optometrists".
After a pitch to my Doc's who signed up early on (paper only) I remember one coming in saying how it was going to dominate and destroy over time independent opticals. Dr. Frankenstein created a monster alright.
https://vspglobal.com/cms/about-us/history.html
I always found their "non-profit" claim to be spurious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VSP_Vision_Care#Non-Profit_Status
http://www.visionmonday.com/latest-n...-decision-6815
Though this recent move is no surprise really either. At some point, the public, and their associated HR departments, *might* realize that quality care =/= "cheap". Maybe not. *shrug*
Any else notice that if you order a non VSP/Unity product, its taking 3-4 weeks to complete?
Even simple Single Vision finished jobs are taking this long.
I am sooo fed up with VSP and their BS claim that "they" are for the private practices.
They are only receiving VSP Choice jobs from here on out.
Politics or not, they are not here for us.
Erik Zuniga, ABOC.
I wonder what would happen if OD's and independent labs nationwide banded together and committed 50 cents of each VSP job to form a professional lobbying group to try to claw back some say in the tsunami that's coming.
Or are too many OD's like opticians and cannot see the forest for the trees thinking money cannot change things?
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