Health 'Reform' Imperils Vision Care

October 29, 2009

By: Rob Lynch
Original Publication: sacbee.com

Whether you are for or against the current health care legislation soon to go to a floor debate in Congress, nearly all can agree that the current health care system is broken and needs to be fixed. What to fix is where the debate lies. But what about the things that aren't broken?

Amazingly enough, there is a vital component of our national health care system that not only provides top-notch services, but actually has an incredible 90-plus percent approval rate by those who are covered. This component is America's vision insurance system. Vision insurance and eye care not only deliver vital health care services but actually lower the cost for treating the chronic diseases that are bankrupting America's health care system. It is a shining example upon which Congress should base the reforms they are now examining. So this begs the question: Why are they trying to change a part of the system that's not broken?

Today, most Americans who have some form of vision insurance are covered by stand-alone plans. They do not get their vision coverage through their medical insurer. In survey after survey, people covered by stand-alone vision plans report that they not only utilize the service, but actually love their coverage and the relationships they develop with their eye doctors. In fact, 61 percent of working Americans with vision care receive an annual eye exam, while only 21 percent of Americans receive annual physicals each year.

For the more than 100 million Americans with stand-alone vision insurance, legislation soon to be debated on the floor of the House and Senate will not only force them to change insurance companies, but also change their doctor. This directly contradicts what President Barack Obama has repeatedly promised: "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan." It's too bad that some members of Congress are not listening to the president.

Proposed legislation will kill stand-alone coverage by excluding it from what constitutes a federally "qualified health plan." Americans would be required to buy bundled insurance – both vision and medical – through the same insurer. That's like forcing individuals to buy homeowner's insurance through their auto insurer. Many medical insurers have zero experience with providing vision coverage or benefits. Furthermore, the legislation would also separate children's vision coverage from their parents', making vision care an administrative nightmare for employers and much more complicated for families.

Why get up in arms about vision care? It's simple. The current model works and serves millions. Vision care helps improve health and quality while lowering costs.

For example, the Center for Health Transformation conducted a study of 2,000 uninsured patients in Columbus, Ga., (known as the Georgia Project) that showed that 100 percent of patients diagnosed by eye doctors as having diabetic retinopathy or retinopathic changes followed through to obtain the requisite additional care, as opposed to only 64 percent of patients who followed through on additional care after receiving a diagnosis of a chronic disease that did not threaten their ability to see.

Even the federal government provides stand-alone vision insurance to its employees and has recognized cost savings on chronic diseases. In fact, during 2008, VSP Vision Care, the nation's largest eye health provider serving more than 55 million Americans, saved its clients – both government entities and private companies – an estimated $3 billion on health care costs associated with the treatment of chronic diseases detectable via an eye examination. To accomplish such savings, VSP developed on its own an electronic technology platform linking all 26,000 doctors nationwide. To date, 98.3 percent of all of VSP transactions are electronic. No other health care entity providing care in this country is even close.

Killing stand-alone vision plans will decrease competition, increase taxes, increase costs and ultimately hinder Americans from receiving critical vision care. At a time when change may be imminent, it is incumbent upon our government to make changes that will reduce cost, increase efficiencies and provide Americans with more choices. We have an opportunity to fix some of the foundational problems with our system. But vision care is not one of them. Instead, vision should be looked upon as a model for what works.

Rob Lynch is president and CEO of VSP Global, a nonprofit vision benefits plan based in Rancho Cordova.