Five Reasons Why Your Groups Should Take a Second Look at Vision Insurance
by Leesa Tori

As fears linger over the economy, .bro-kers and their clients face tough  .ddecisions on employee benefits. But there is good news: More groups are beefing up preventive care and wellness benefits or adding these benefits. Seventy-five percent of companies plan to focus on improving employee health and productivity in the next three to five years, according to a January 2009 -Hewitt Associates survey. Also, the Obama Administration is touting preventive care as a key to controlling rising healthcare costs.

The increased demand for preventive care and wellness programs is an excellent opportunity for savvy brokers to demonstrate their value and help their clients’ bottom line. Wellness and preventive programs allow employees to stay healthy, saving employers from decreased productivity and increased sick days. If you haven’t tuned up your product portfolio in these areas, now is the time.
Vision insurance is one low-cost product that deserves consideration for its contribution to prevention and employee productivity. For decades, providing vision plans was seen as little more than a way to provide glasses and contact lenses to employees. But with improvements in medical technology and knowledge, vision care offers far more medical value than ever.
Below are five selling points to help your clients see the true value of vision insurance.

1. Vision Care is Preventive Care.

With advances in ophthalmology, we’ve learned that the eyes tell much more about our health than we originally realized. Regular eye exams can help detect life-threatening health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol before they become significant and costly health problems. Equally important, regular eye exams can detect serious eye diseases, such as glaucoma, eye tumors, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration, all of which can lead to vision impairment and blindness. Vision loss is among the top 10 causes of disability in the U.S., -according a 2008 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Discuss the link between eye health and overall health with your clients.

2. Vision Problems are Growing More Prevalent

With the aging Baby Boomer population, eye problems have become the second most common health concern among U.S. adults. Cases of age-related eye disease are expected to increase dramatically over the next several years – rising from about 28 million today to 43 million by the year 2020, according to a 2004 study from the Eye Disease Research Group, published in the journal Ophthalmology.

What’s more, our current lifestyles contribute increasingly to eyestrain, which can lead to vision problems down the road. Whether it’s daily computer use, use of handheld devices, or extended work hours, our eyes suffer the consequences of our daily stresses. It is important for employers to offer a benefit that more and more employees need.

3. Vision Problems are Costly to Employers and to the U.S.

Don’t forget the economic reasons -- vision insurance can save your groups significant dollars. Serious eye issues, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, cost the U.S. economy $35.4 billion in direct medical costs, lost productivity, and other costs, according to a 2007 study from Prevent Blindness America. Even a slight vision problem can reduce workplace productivity by 10% and work accuracy by 40% – adding up to estimated employer losses of $8 billion a year, according to a 2006 study by RTI Research, published in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology.

An appropriately utilized vision care plan can prevent serious health and eye diseases, saving employers $7 for every $1 invested and lowering premiums for members, according to the Vision Council. Talk to your clients about how vision care promotes early detection and treatment of various health problems and can save them and their employees money in the long run.

4. Vision Care is More Affordable Than Ever

Not only can vision plans save employers on overall healthcare costs and promote good health and wellness, but these plans can also add enormous benefit at a minimal cost. Employers can provide vision plans for as little as $10 per employee per month. Some carriers also offer discounts on bundled specialty products when vision, dental, and life insurance are purchased together. Look for plans that offer the best bang for the buck. Seek plans that encourage eye checkups with low or $0 co-pays, plans that offer discounts on laser vision surgery and higher allowances to cover eyeglass frames, and plans that link diagnostic information from an eye exam with disease management programs.

5. Employees Value Vision Insurance

Employers that are looking to provide a more competitive benefits package without adding a lot of cost should quickly see the value of vision care. A vision plans is a top benefit desired by workers. Vision care is important not only to aging Baby Boomers, but also to younger employees who have families and want to make sure their kids receive proper vision care. Offering vision benefits is an excellent way to boost employee loyalty by rewarding them with an important service that they increasingly need.

A Wide-Open Market

Until recently, a large portion of the group market neglected vision insurance. Only 17% of employers offered vision plans in 2008, according to the Vision Council. With health trends demonstrating the cost savings and benefits of vision care, brokers should look into adding vision plans to their client offerings and sales.

To further maximize opportunities, brokers should work with carriers that can offer a broad network of providers including opticians, ophthalmologists, and optometrists; a wide array of low cost plan options; and customized vision care solutions that emphasize the preventive value of vision care in controlling medical costs. If you haven’t already made plans to sit down with your groups and take a long hard look at the benefits of vision plans, now is the time to do so.
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Leesa Tori is the director, Strategy and Product Innovation for Specialty Benefits at Blue Shield of California, a not-for-profit health plan dedicated to providing Californians with access to high quality care at a reasonable price. Celebrating 70 years since its founding in 1939, Blue Shield of California has 3.4 million members, 4,800 employees, one of the largest provider networks and more than 20 office locations, providing a wide range of commercial and government products throughout the state. Ms. Tori can be contacted at leesa.tori@blueshieldca.com. For more information, visit www.blueshieldca.com.