It’s open enrollment season. Know what you’re looking for in a vision plan.
When it comes to your health, having access to the best possible care is critical—and that’s no less true for the health of your eyes. Vision impairments can have far-reaching impacts on your quality of life, affecting your mental health, non-eye-related physical health, academic performance, and more.
The choice to take care of your vision is one that benefits your whole body. But with so many options for vision plans on the insurance market, it can be a challenge to pinpoint the one that best meets your needs. As you prepare for open enrollment and consider adding a vision plan, here are six questions you can ask yourself to narrow down your choices and select the one that’s right for you.
What does the plan cover?
This might be the most essential question when shopping for vision plans: whether the plan includes the items and services you need most. But to answer that question, first you’ll have to think through what vision care expenses you expect in the coming year.
For some people, a routine eye exam is all they see themselves needing. But for the more than 150 million Americans with a refractive error like nearsightedness, the cost of glasses frames, lenses, and contacts could come into play. If you have specialized lens needs—transitions, bifocals, or polycarbonate lenses, for example—or want extra pairs of glasses or contacts, be sure to take that into account as well while you shop for plans.
Finally, even if you don’t need lenses at the moment, it’s worth considering your family’s history of eye health. Common eye conditions can have a genetic component, and being aware of your risk can help you and your care provider catch issues early and manage them more effectively. Knowing your risk lets you account for any possible future care needs in your selected vision plan.
Who needs coverage?
Is your plan just for you? Or will it cover your partner and family as well?
Vision coverage can come in the form of individual plans and family plans. Of course, every additional person on your plan adds the potential for more and different eye care needs. Regular eye exams are especially important for children, because vision impairments can have unexpectedly large impacts on their school performance, non-eye health, and overall quality of life. If members of your family will be relying on your vision coverage, look for family plans that offer the kind of coverage that meets their needs as well.
What’s your budget?
Cost is often the first factor that springs to mind for people as they shop for vision insurance. Vision plans tend to be lower in cost, especially when compared to broader medical insurance, but it’s always a good idea to consider your overall budget and what you can comfortably afford.
As you think through your expected vision care needs for the coming year, it can help to also list the estimated cost of each service or item. If the total cost of covered care and monthly premiums is less than the cost of uninsured care, you can expect to save money with your chosen plan. Fortunately, most people do see savings with the right vision plan!
What is the plan’s provider network like?
Like medical insurance, many vision insurance plans include a provider network: care providers with whom you’ll receive the full benefits of your insurance coverage. Depending on your plan, you may receive partial coverage if you choose an out-of-network provider, or you may end up paying the full cost of uninsured care.
When choosing a plan, check to make sure that there are in-network providers near you that you feel comfortable using. Many insurers offer a provider search tool to help you find convenient care. If you have a favorite care provider, check whether they are part of your chosen plan. If not, and you still want to choose the plan, talk to your provider—they may be able to join it.
What extra benefits does the plan provide?
Vision plans may come with extra benefits that, depending on your needs, can make them an even better value than expected. In the case of Heritage, our members have access to discounted LASIK eye surgery, as well as Amplifon hearing care and hearing aids. Added benefits like these can reduce your costs even further, and can make it easier to find trusted providers through your vision plan’s network. If a plan’s ancillary benefits align with your needs, it’s definitely worth considering.
What are the insurer’s values and business model?
An insurer’s values may not rank high on your list of priorities when selecting a plan—and that’s understandable. Coverage and cost are far more likely to impact you on a day-to-day basis. But when you have questions or concerns, or when you’re facing an unexpected or unusual situation, your provider’s approach to their business can make a world of difference.
Large, international conglomerates can see insurance as a numbers game. A one-size-fits-all approach means less time and energy spent on solving individual customer concerns or building relationships with care providers. Less logistical overhead helps them lower their costs, but it can leave their members feeling frustrated and unheard.
Smaller, boutique providers like Heritage, on the other hand, are community focused. Relationships are at the heart of our business: relationships with our clients and members, with our employees, with our providers, and with our neighbors. Our provider network is hand-picked, so you know we stand behind the care our members get, and when you call our offices with a question, you’ll talk to a real person.
We may be biased, but when it comes to making decisions about your vision care, we think that matters.
Put your vision care in good hands with a Heritage vision plan.
Heritage boasts a long legacy in eye care, and over that time, we’ve had the opportunity to witness firsthand the benefits of high-quality vision care. That’s why we’ve made it one of our core missions to make great vision care as widely available as possible. Your eye health is a key part of your whole body’s health, and you deserve a vision plan that knows it.
This open enrollment season, choose a vision plan from Heritage, either through your employer or as an individual. Our nationwide provider network ensures that you’ll find quality care near you, and you can rest easy knowing that whatever the new year holds, Heritage has your back.