iQuanti: Healthy eyes are vital to a healthy life. To best preserve your vision and eye health, it's a good idea to purchase a vision insurance plan.
However, like with regular health insurance, vision plans have several moving parts. Regardless of your eye and vision health situation, here are some factors to consider when comparing vision insurance plans.
1. Benefits Packages vs. Discount Plans
There are two main types of vision insurance plans: benefits packages and discount plans.
Vision benefits packages generally cover the cost of a specified number of services, such as eye exams or contact lens exams. However, you pay a copayment at the time of service, which for vision insurance is typically a substantial percentage of the total cost.
On the other hand, discount plans require you to pay the price for services, but at a reduced cost compared to the regular price.
2. Provider Network
Regardless of which plan you choose; your plan will cover providers and specific products.
Now, insurance plans aren't much good if they don't cover the eye care provider you visit. You should check to make sure your eye care provider is in your plan's network to reap the full cost savings of having vision insurance.
3. Product Coverage Offered
The other main aspect to consider, as mentioned earlier, is the products and services it covers. These include things like eye exams, glasses, and contact lenses.
At the bare minimum, you ideally want the plan to cover an annual eye exam and pair of glasses or a reasonable number of contact lenses.
That said, you also want to weigh if you want extra coverage for potential future problems or for corrective surgery like Lasik.
Medical problems concerning the eyes, such as conditions like glaucoma or cataracts, are typically covered under medical insurance plans, rather than vision insurance plans. However, vision exams may only be covered by medical insurance if a covered condition is diagnosed — which can be a bit of a catch-22 for patients and is a good reason to have vision insurance as well.
4. Work Status
Many employees have access to plans through their employers, allowing them to potentially take advantage of good plans at low prices. For people who wear glasses or contact lenses, employer-subsidized vision insurance is typically going to be a good deal.
The self-employed, on the other hand, must provide plans for themselves. Some insurance providers may have special plans to help the self-employed cover themselves and their families at an affordable rate.
Consider the Present and the Future
It's important to consider your current eye health as well as possible conditions that may develop over time when choosing a vision insurance plan that meets your needs.
You can always switch plans every year, but it's often easier to do some additional research ahead of time and stick with a vision plan long term.
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Original Source: How to Compare Vision Insurance Plans
