Vision insurance

As part of my healthcare package, I'm covered under a "Vision Plan." Unfortunately, as I found out recently, I believe this "Vision Coverage" is really not an insurance policy, but rather a scam to provide glasses to many people. Huh - isn't that insurance? Nope - and here's why. My glasses broke two days ago, so I needed a new pair. Luckily, my insurance plan allocates to me an eye exam every 2 years and a new pair of glasses. Great - my last exam was in September of 2006, so it's been far more than 2 years. Check. Now let's see my benefits: eye exam - $10 co-pay (fair enough), frame - $80 allowance, generous, lenses: standard plastic (CR39?) covered 100% - all else, you pay 100% retail. So, let's examine two hypothetical situations and see how things come out. Let's take Person A who has mild-to-moderate myopia and needs corrective lenses at say, -4.00 diopters. At this level, he could actually get around - albeit a bit clumsy - without glasses. So while he may wear these glasses all day (mostly out of convenience), it's not necessarily a required item for his activities of daily living. So I'd say these glasses are more of a "nice-to-have" item. While it's true $80 doesn't get you much of a frame, he could easily go with the standard CR39 lenses and it'll be covered entirely.

Now let's look at Person B who has severe myopia - say, -10 diopters. At these powers, the guy wouldn't be able to perform his activities of daily living without glasses, so the glasses become more of a required item, i.e. "need-to-have". Furthermore, at these powers, the use of CR39 isn't really recommended anymore due to the tremendous size and thickness required - higher index of refraction material are suggested. Once you get into these powers, you also will need anti-reflective coating to prevent glare from headlights, computer screens, etc. And oh - those $80 frames? Since the guy'll be wearing these frames at all waking hours out of necessity, a flimsy plastic or these new, fashionable thin metal frames won't do at all - they'll break much too easily. Of course, let's not forget anything other than the CR39 and you'll pay 100% retail. By the way, it's not just the lens material - at these powers, you'll need "custom resurfacing" and all sorts of other goodies - all extra, of course!

In short - the mild-to-moderate myope can get a functional pair of glasses for free, while the severely myopic will have to pay 100% retail. Let's also consider the actual cost - the CR39, as you might guess, is relatively inexpensive being plain plastic. Higher index of refraction materials - more expensive, and as you get higher and higher the costs rise faster.

So whom does this insurance policy serve? The large populace with mild-to-moderate myopia, and at a relatively cheap rate. Who gets screwed? The severe myopic who require inordinately expensive glasses. This would be the equivalent, in healthcare, for an insurance policy to cover annual check-ups and vitamins, but operations, prescription medications, etc. would be entirely the policy holder's responsibility. Sounds like an insurance company's wet-dream, doesn't it? Insure many people and you're only financial responsibility is small.

You've probably guessed by now I'm a severe myope. I measured out to -9.00 and -9.50 diopters. I also fly, so I like to have a pair of sunglasses handy so that I'm not blinded when flyingi nto the sun. But as I wear my glasses constantly (and frequently fall asleep with them on), I don't really want to get a second pair of prescription sunglasses.

My final choice/costs? I ended up having to spring for a $200 frame that's "bendable" (so hopefully it won't break when I sleep with them on and crush them, although my last pair was also bendable and they broke at the bridge after only slightly more than 2 years of wear). Then, I had to pay another $200 for polycarbonate lenses (higher index of refraction, although certainly not the highest possible, but it's also the most impact resistant and as a volunteer firefighter I also want to keep in mind the safety factor). Add another $100 or so for additional anti-reflective coatings, custom resurfacing, etc. and I did opt for a photochromic layer (Transitions - the lenses that change color according to UV exposure so that I won't need a separate pair of sunglasses) that costs another $50 or so. The total bill after a few discounts came out to nearly $500.

So that's my experience with health care insurance so far. I know of many people around me who wear glasses, typically in in the -2 to -4 diopter range, and they would've been fully covered. Even if they had not, it wouldn't have cost them $500 for a new pair of glasses.

Well, I guess life just isn't fair sometimes. No matter - hopefully these glasses will last at least another 2 years when I can repeat this whole process again, although at these rates it doesn't matter at all whether I have insurance or not. The exam fee itslf is normally waived at most places when you purchase a pair of glasses.

So on the bright side of things - I no longer have to care about the insurance details and find in-network providers. I'm on my own.