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Vision Care
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Vision Care For Just Pennies A DayA low-cost, high-value benefit that can significantly decrease overall health care expenses By Robert Elsas
For just "pennies a day," you could provide one of the most desired specialty benefits—a benefit proven to improve an individual's quality of life, office morale and productivity.
A Positive Impact on Insurance Premiums...A vision benefit can potentially decrease an employer's overall health insurance premiums. Both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Optometry Association recommend that everyone have a regularly scheduled eye health examination to detect early signs of eye disease. Many eye disorders, like glaucoma, develop gradually and have no immediate symptoms, which is why they should be detected early to prevent serious vision loss. A comprehensive eye examination effects early diagnosis of many systemic diseases including hypertension, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, Graves' disease, as well as common eye diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts.
A Growing Need for Corrective Eyewear...Statistics indicate that over 70% of the workforce now requires corrective eyewear. The Baby Boom generation (representing a very vocal majority of the workforce) has entered their 40's and 50's and are now experiencing the natural age-related progressive loss of focusing ability. Memos and reports once read with ease now need to be held out at a little more than an arm's length to be read comfortably. School-age children can also benefit from a vision program. One out of four children, ages 5 to 12, needs corrective eyewear. Many parents regularly take their children to the family doctor or dentist for checkups, yet they rely on vision screenings offered in schools to detect vision challenges. While school screenings may identify severe problems with a child's vision, they are not thorough enough to expose problems of eye muscle coordination, eye disease, peripheral vision or shortcomings in near/distance vision, among other potential conditions. Visual impairment in these areas can be a significant handicap to a child's intellectual, emotional, and social growth and development, especially since 80% of all learning in the first 12 years takes place visually.
Controlling Cost, Ensuring Quality, Delivering A "Feel Good" Benefit...Employees and their families will truly enjoy this health benefit and its many advantages. It is a wellness benefit, meaning beneficiaries do not have to be sick in order to use it. In addition, unlike medical or dental coverage, beneficiaries receive a popular fashion item—eyeglasses or contact lenses—which not only enhances their ability to see, but can also complement their appearance.
Maximum Safety...A vision benefit can also enhance an organization's risk management program by reducing tragic and expensive eye injuries that result in worker's compensation claims. In work environments where there is a significant probability of eye injury, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates suitable eye protection. By offering a safety eyewear benefit, you can provide adequate protection while correcting vision problems, to maximize safety in the workplace.
VDT Concerns...Productivity in the workplace can also be improved with prescriptive eyewear designed for use with Video Display Terminals (VDTs). Use of computers has resulted in increased complaints of blurred vision, eye discomfort and fatigue. Special VDT eye care programs have been developed to provide prescriptive eyewear which alleviates eye fatigue and eye strain resulting from visually intense, close up work on the computer. Many employers combine a VDT program with the dress eyewear benefit to maximize the overall vision care program's value. Consolidating a basic vision care program with a VDT program realizes cost savings by:
Pennies A Day Solution...As employers work to manage health care benefits for optimal outcomes, they continuously seek plans to further enhance the value of the benefit package. Health care purchasers realize that a managed vision care program can be provided for a small percentage of the typical health care dollar - the equivalent of "just pennies a day." This small percentage, together with long-term rate guarantees, predictable costs and integrated controls on the delivery system, results in optimum cost effectiveness for clients and members. For just "pennies a day," you can provide a wellness benefit that more than pays for itself. "Nothing on this web site is intended, nor should it be construed, as professional advice. Those reviewing the information should consult with a qualified professional."
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