Vision Insurance
Vision Insurance for Individuals and Families
If you do not have access to vision insurance through your employer, no worries! You can choose your own vision insurance plan, And insurance companies have built their individual vision insurance plans with the same benefits and networks as vision insurance offered through work.
Why Do You Need Vision Insurance?
A Yearly Eye Exam is Good for Your Health
A yearly eye exam with an optometrist not only gauges your eyes’ health, but also helps look for signs of other conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and other conditions. And since most health insurance plans no longer cover annual eye exams, vision insurance can help you cover the cost.
Our Eyes are Working Overtime Looking at all of Those Screens
We spend so much time with our phones, computers, and other screens. And that can cause digital strain and excess UV light exposure to even those of us with the best vision. An eye exam with a professional can help you protect your eyesight for years to come.
Glasses and Contacts Are Not Cheap
Have you recently bought a pair of glasses? Wanted a name brand pair of frames? Ray-Bans? Coach, Oakley, etc. They can be expensive! Vision insurance helps you cover the cost of needed glasses or contacts, and also offers discounts on other vision services such as LASIK vision correction and sunglasses.
Benefits of Vision Insurance
Each vision insurance plan’s benefits are slightly different, but each of the available plans follow a pattern of four main benefits:
Pays For An Annual Eye Exam (Once Per Year) After Your Copay
Each of us, whether or not we wear glasses or contacts, should have an eye exam each year. Vision insurance plans pay for this annual exam with you just paying a $15, $10 or even $0 copay (the plan we find we recommend the most has a $0 copay for eye exams). If you do not wear glasses or contacts, you can choose a lower priced plan that only covers eye exams.
Pays for a Majority of the Cost of Your Contacts
Vision insurance plans pay up to a certain allowance toward an annual supply of contact lenses (many plans set the allowance at $150), with you paying the remainder of the cost, if any (and at discounted costs if you can utilize an in-network provider).
Pays for a Majority of the Cost of Your Glasses (frames and lenses)
Vision insurance plans divide the cost of prescription glasses into two parts, the lenses and the frames. Vision insurance plans cover the cost of lenses, with you paying a copay based on the type of lens ($25 copays for many lens types). Frames are covered up to a certain dollar amount, many plans pay $150, with you paying the remainder, if any of the cost above that.
Offers Big Discounts on Other Vision Services
Though not directly covered by the plan other vision services you may need are offered to you at discounted prices by in-network providers and optical shops; including extra pairs of prescription glasses, or sunglasses, LASIK, and retinal imaging.
Vision Networks
Vision Insurance offers benefits whether or not your provider is in their network or not. But it really benefits you if your provider is in-network.
The good news is that vision insurers have built strong, expansive networks with plenty of independent and small town providers, and also the brand name providers like Target Optical, LensCrafters and Pearle.
If your vision provider or optical shop is out of network…
The insurance plan will still pay toward eye exams, glasses and contacts. The amount of benefit will just be less than if your provider was in network. It is also important to understand that the provider has not agreed to lower costs for their services, and may ask that you pay up front for the claim and be reimbursed by the insurer.
If your vision provider or optical shop is in network…
The insurance plan will pay the maximum amount toward your eye exam, glasses and contacts. Any part of the cost remaining for you to pay may be lower, as the in network provider has agreed to lower than their usual retail cost for services and vision hardware. The provider will file your claim.
Free Vision Quote
Complete the form below and we will send you ideas of vision insurance to consider from a few insurance companies. We will compare the plans’ benefits and costs, and recommend what looks best based on your preferences.
Included in our quote email to you will be vision insurance ideas from Blue Cross NC, UnitedHealthcare and others.
