Hi guys,

Our practice has a (in my opinion, very generous) Employee Discount package. We give all employees free services, 50% off glasses, 20% off contact lenses. Hourly staff may extend this benefit to a close (i.e. "live in") family member. Managers, Owners and Docs may extend this discount to include friends and "more distant" family members. We have a large practice with 5 docs, a full service lab and a staff of 38.

If a staff member has insurance then we would like them to utilize EITHER their Medicaid / insurance plan OR their Employee Discount....but not both. I feel like it is just a "cleaner" business when a patient is either "insurance patient" or "Employee Discount" patient. The idea of using their insurance benefits AND Employee Discount in concert or using Employee Discount on services and THEN using Insurance benefits (Medicaid) on their materials is abhorrent to me. And some of our staff members cry "unfair" if they use insurance benefits and their plan stipulates a copay!

We leave money on the table if they take their Rx from their free exam (Employee Discount) and use their Rx with a competitor to use their insurance plans.

How do you practice owners out there deal with Employee Benefits when a staff member wants to use insurance benefits?? What is the best way to handle this situation?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Mike