The Importance of Vision in Company Health Care Coverage

Nat Peniston

Jul 1, 2012

The Importance of Vision in Company Health Care Coverage

What medical disaster do your employees fear most?

Second only to cancer, most people fear losing their eyesight. i

Most humans rely on healthy eyesight to navigate their professional and private universe. Unfortunately, someone loses vision every seven minutes in the United States alone. ii

Yet, despite the value Americans place on healthy vision, nearly 40 percent of Americans fear they can’t afford adequate treatment. They admit to postponing or avoiding care because of the cost. i

Your company can easily address this medical fear and cost concern no matter what its size -- and increase productivity by 20 percent. iii With those kinds of concerns and benefits, can you see your company offering vision health coverage in the near future?

Benefits -- Big Company or Small

Besides the clear productivity benefit, large firms already know how valuable an employer-sponsored vision plan is in affecting their bottom line. They gain as much as $7 for every $1 spent on coverage. iv No matter what your company size, that is an enviable business plus!

For the employees who opt for voluntary vision benefit plans, it is easy, free, and safeguards their view of the world -- literally. Any size company can be proud of that kind of outcome.

In addition, if you believe the health insurance companies, your employees are more loyal when they have vision plans...

Obstacles vs. Opportunities

“Who wants the burden of offering another benefit with rising health costs, and increasing administrative headaches?”

With a wide array of pre-tax dollar plans and accounts, you can choose a vision coverage that not only reduces your employees’ taxable incomes -- but also your share of FICA and FUTA taxes. This is a significant savings for everyone!

Cafeteria Plans (just opt for it from your current health coverage)
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA’s)
Health Savings Accounts (HSA’s)
Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA’s)

Moreover, the administration of the plan doesn’t have to be complicated. Large Insurance services with small business plans (AFLAC, VSP, Guardian Life, etc.) implement and assist you with administration of any vision coverage plan, at little or no cost to you.

“Why? Our health plan already includes a vision screening...”

Staring at an eye chart with different size letters only measures how well you see. It is NOT an evaluation of overall eye health -- or uncovering the first signs of preventable disease of both the eye and the body. Even in today's economy, comprehensive eye exams are vital because early diagnosis and timely treatment of eye (and other) diseases is possible.

Vision health coverage helps minimize or eliminate these long-term costs:

Overall Eye Health

Convergence -- This is how the eye focuses as it moves across an image. When it interferes with reading, it is commonly mistaken as a learning problem in children and senility in adults. When diagnosed correctly, it is treatable -- without the learning disability or senility label!
Presbyopia -- This is when the eye has trouble focusing as it shifts from near to far (or, get rid of the headaches -- it’s time for bifocals).

Eye Diseases

Glaucoma -- The "silent thief of sight" because the loss of vision occurs over a long period, and symptoms don’t show up until the disease is advanced. Usually, you can’t recover the lost vision. You can only prevent further loss.
Macular Degeneration -- “Center” blindness/impairment in older adults. Located in the middle of the eye, the macula is a small fraction of the visual field. However, nearly half of the visual cortex is devoted to processing what the macula “sees”. With full loss of central vision, it is not possible to read. With an early diagnosis, employees can remain productive, with prevention or accommodation.
Diabetic Retinopathy -- Retina damage caused by diabetes, timely treatment and follow-up care of this damage reduces risk of blindness by 95% (National Eye Institute, Diabetic Retinopathy).
Hypertensive Retinopathy -- Retina damage caused by high blood pressure, timely treatment safeguards not only the eyes, but also general health.

Body Diseases

Diabetes -- Nearly all patients with type 1 diabetes (and most with type 2) develop retinopathy. If diagnosed first by an ophthalmologist, patients can go to their regular doctor for treatment. If diagnosed by the regular doctor, ophthalmologic care is NECESSARY.
High Blood Pressure -- Hypertension is a silent KILLER. A comprehensive exam by an ophthalmologist can diagnose hypertensive retinopathy before the doctor or patient is aware there is a high blood pressure problem.

The Schedule

The American Optometric Association recommends eye exams:

Ages 19 to 40 (with normal vision) -- every two to three years
Ages 41 to 60 -- every two years
Ages 61 and older -- every year

All ages with vision problems -- including those who wear prescriptions -- should visit their eye care professional at least annually. The Vision Council of America estimates 63 percent of American adults wear glasses or contacts.

And, If the Kids Aren’t Happy...

Are your employees’ children learning less because of undetected vision problems?

Nearly 10 million (12.5%) of children have undetected vision problems, and up to 20 million (25%) have vision problems that can affect learning.v

Early detection not only prevents eye problems and eye diseases, but also learning disability misdiagnoses -- and ensures healthy vision for life. Prevent Blindness America estimates that, “12.1 million school-age children in the United States have some form of vision problem.” They recommend eye examinations at birth, six months, pre-school, annually throughout the school years, and any time you suspect a problem.

In addition, both children and their parents need to learn about eye safety:

Almost 84,000 eye injuries occur among children age 14 and younger each year.
More than 35,000 of these injuries occur in children under age 5.
Most (90 %) of these injuries are preventable -- with a good vision health and education plan.

Conclusion

There are good reasons for more employers to offer vision health coverage in the future -- no matter what their size:

Direct relationship between Eye Health and Productivity
Attractiveness of vision coverage to employees
7 to 1 Benefit to Expense ratio with a vision plan
Family Health, Well Being, and Education

Just as you, the employer, want to foster a safe and productive workplace environment, keeping your employees’ best interests at heart is a key part of this plan. Moreover, with the changing face of health care and its potential permutations, insuring your employees’ eye care is one less thing you may not need to worry about. And, vision coverage is not just good for morale; it’s good business.

Consider making sure your company has its “sights” on your employees’ future by offering vision health coverage.

i “Americans have consistently identified fear of vision loss as second only to fear of cancer in public opinion polls conducted over the past 40 years.” National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) Fact Sheet, www.eyeresearch.org/resources/NEI_factsheet.html - viewed: 6-11-2012
ii The Silver Book®: Vision Loss: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation in an Aging Nation (March 2012)

iii 2005. “Survey Reveals Disparities in Americans’ Perceptions of Vision Health.” Nursing Home and Elder Business Week p.46.

iv Daum, Kent M., OD, PhD, Katherine A. Clore, OD, PhD. 2004. “Productivity Associated with Visual Status of Computer Users.” Optometry 75(1):1-15

v Jobson Optical Research, 2006; College of Optometrists in Vision Development, August 2004

ii The Silver Book®: Vision Loss: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation in an Aging Nation (March 2012)

iii 2005. “Survey Reveals Disparities in Americans’ Perceptions of Vision Health.” Nursing Home and Elder Business Week p.46.

iv Daum, Kent M., OD, PhD, Katherine A. Clore, OD, PhD. 2004. “Productivity Associated with Visual Status of Computer Users.” Optometry 75(1):1-15

v Jobson Optical Research, 2006; College of Optometrists in Vision Development, August 2004