mrken30

My employer has stopped subsidizing my vision insurance. My plan for me and my spouse is now $300 a year. I have been looking at personal insurance options and they seem to be similar price of less. We both have single vision prescriptions that have not really changed for a few years. Has anyone taken out private vision insurance? looking for good or bad recommendations.

scrubbedexpat099

To the extent that Vision Insurance makes any sense it needs to be subsidised

Eye Test every 2 years in CO is say $70, can get glasses on line for less than $30.

Guindalf

IF you go to America's Best, you can get an eye exam and two pairs of glasses for as low as $69.99. I know you'll want coatings and other stuff, but at that price, why bother with insurance?

There are other stores offering a similar and, in some cases, even cheaper deal.

If you want, you can get glasses from Zennioptical.com, and they start at under $10 a pair (they start at $6.05). Obviously, you'd need an independent eye exam, but at around $60 or $70, you're still saving money over an insurance plan.

celticgrid

Another vote for a PAYG approach. My insurance pays for one pair of frames every 2 years, and has a $20 copay for examination. So some of the deals mentioned above are the way to go. I just had an updated exam, got a copy of the prescription, and, as it happens, am now awaiting a really expensive pair ($30) from Zennioptical. You say you only need single vision...deals like the America's Best one seem ready-made for you.

mrken30

My current eye doctor wants $130 per exam, which for two of us is similar to the price of insurance. I agree Zenni is a good option, I have bought glasses from them before.My wife will not go to Walmart for an eye exam unfortunately. I have a couple of weeks before open enrollment closes.

mrken30

Thank's for the America's Best tip, I think this will be the way to go instead of paying for insurance. Not sure how bad/good they are.

Rete

My eye doctor takes my medical insurance so there is only my $30 co-pay. Glasses never run me over $120 for a single vision prescription and new frames. Usually it is far less. More like $60.

Why not use an ophthalmologist that takes your medical and does the testing for glaucoma and other eye diseases and disorders. When you are getting older, they are needed tests.

Figure that the cost of the separate insurance far exceeds the co-pay and a new pair of frames and lens.

PS I need special type lens because of the detached retina and glaucoma so the low costs places listed above won't work for me.

mrken30

My medical has a $3000 deductible, so that probably would not work.

Giantaxe

Many (most?) medical plans don't cover routine eye care for adults. Many Medicare Advantage plans seem to though.

scrubbedexpat099

Do you have an eye test annually?

Nutmegger

Rete

I've been doing this long before I was 65 and on Medicare so yes, my healthcare covered "routine" eye exams/eye care which included checks for glaucoma along with getting a script for glasses. It is called preventative medicine.

Fortunately, I've never in my life had a healthcare plan where I had a deductible to be met. If you do have one, then, of course, you are still paying out of pocket.

Giantaxe

"All plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace include vision coverage for children. Only some plans include vision coverage for adults."

https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/...sion-coverage/

Looking a California's ACA plans:

Vision benefits for children are included in all health plans through Covered California. Vision care for adults is not considered an essential health benefit and is not offered in Covered California plans, but Covered California contracts with EyeMed and VSP to offer coverage directly to consumers. Enrollment in a vision plan is handled directly through these companies and not through Covered California.

https://www.coveredca.com/individual...overed/vision/

And Medicare:

"Medicare typically doesn’t cover vision care services such as routine eye exams for eyeglasses or contact lenses."

https://medicare.com/coverage/vision...whats-covered/

[As i mentioned earlier, many Medicare Advantage plans seem to do.]

For Medicaid:

"Medicaid is more likely to pay for medically necessary vision care in all fifty states. It is less likely to pay for exams, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and surgeries that detect and correct refractive errors – when the eye cannot focus light properly."

https://www.growingfamilybenefits.co...dult-eye-care/

Looking at that link, some states don't cover eye exams and others do in a mixture of 1, 2 and 3 yearly intervals.

Employer-provided insurance:

"The difference between this and health insurance is that health insurance generally covers only eye care in relation to a medical condition. For instance, if you need an eye exam because of cataracts, dry eyes, complications from diabetes, or in relation to diagnosed high blood pressure, then your health insurance will usually cover the eye care. "

https://www.visionarynd.com/updates/...ion-insurance/

Couldn't find anything that states what percentage of employer-provided health insurance also covers routine eye exams. But vision insurance provider VSP, for example, claims to cover 79 million people.

Nutmegger

As I mentioned, I see an MD for my annual eye exam, and Medicare covers it. I'm sure they wouldn't if I went to the eyeglass shop in the mall, but with an MD, no problem.

Giantaxe

Interesting. Do you have a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan? Or, alternatively, a medical condition that could affect your eyesight? According to the government Medicare site, "All people with Part B who have diabetes are covered" for a yearly eye exam:

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/yearly-eye-exam