Vision Plan Insights
Vision care plans are underutilized by the population. These educational and marketing efforts can help patients see the importance of ongoing vision care
Consumers value their sight and have a greater interest in taking care of their health than ever before. However, they currently have a poor understanding of steps they need to take to preserve their vision, and do not associate vision care and vision wear with overall health and well-being.
With so many other health care companies promoting their respective areas, vision must have a stronger voice to become top-of-mind with consumers. The key to helping patients achieve the best eye health is to inform them about the full spectrum of healthy sight and how to work with vision care professionals to achieve it.
FOCUSING ON EYECARE
Consumers care about their vision, but they don't recognize the value of their vision plans and are often not knowledgeable about them. This is reflected in their opinions of managed vision care. Basically, consumers value vision plans less than they do medical, dental, or pharmacy plans. While 97 percent say a medical plan is somewhat or very important, only 84 percent say the same for vision.
Some place such little value on their vision coverage that they don't even opt in for it.
Consumers are also less knowledgeable about vision plans. Eight out of 10 say they are highly/somewhat knowledgeable about medical, but only six in 10 say that for vision.
This limited view diminishes the importance of preventive care. It also positions vision wear as a commodity rather than as a health product, leaving consumers to consider price as their ultimate concern when making their eyewear selections.
HEALTHY SIGHT COUNSELING
The problem with the traditional view of the role of eyecare and eyewear is that it doesn't hold up in patients' everyday lives. Vision wear in the real world must account for varying visual needs and lighting conditions, contrast sensitivity, and UV and impact protection.
To step away from the current vision care model and introduce patients to the full range of benefits of a vision care plan, consider the Healthy Sight Counseling model of eyecare's three essential components: vision care, vision wear, and education.
Healthy Sight Counseling adopts the primary care model of treatment and prevention that helps form a connection between eyecare and overall health. This model also advocates educating consumers about all that will restore, maintain, and enhance their vision.
In the office, explain health-related aspects of eye exams to patients. Certain steps—like including a blood pressure measurement—can help position regular eye exams as a preventive health measure, in this case, by showing the link between hypertension and eye disease.
| Getting an Eye Exam |
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| Adults strongly associate the following reasons with getting an eye exam: 80% Getting a prescription 71% Diagnose eye diseases 67% Long-term eye health 48% Overall wellness 24% Diagnose other diseases |
| MAKING HISTORY: The Success of Dentistry |
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| The idea of brushing your teeth twice a day and seeing the dentist twice a year did not originate from science. Rather, the recommendation originated as early as the 1930s. Pepsodent Toothpaste, in its sponsorship of the "Amos ‘n’ Andy" radio program, introduced this concept. Ipana Toothpaste and Crest repeated similar advice in the ’50s and ’60s, and organized dentistry adopted the messages advertisers promoted. The American Dental Association (ADA) communicated consistent messaging as it became active in consumer education several decades ago. It established the ADA Seal Program in 1931, the first ADA National Children's Dental Health Day in 1949, and a television public service announcement in 1964. Additionally, Dudley the Dragon was introduced in 1971 to teach children proper oral health care, followed by "Give Kids A Smile®" day, held as part of National Children's Dental Health Month in 2003, all of which buttressed the growth of dental care insurance programs. Achieving similar results in vision care requires explanations not only of eye health but also of eye health plans. |
HR CONNECTIONS
Eyecare professionals are in an obvious position to provide education, but so are the human resources professionals who are filling the role of educating employees on how to be smarter healthcare consumers.
Often, the only time a consumer thinks about health matters—beyond experiencing a problem—is at the time of benefits enrollment.
By promoting comprehensive education on how to maximize health through benefits, HR managers are playing a critical role in encouraging preventive health care, and are helping their employees make smart choices to plan fiscally to meet their health needs.
HR managers are challenged, however, to maintain a balancing act between controlling expenses and offering competitive benefits. Different audiences will care more about different implications of quality eyecare.
When working with companies' HR managers, be ready to provide information about the links between quality vision care and vision wear and employee productivity.
Eye health professionals can explain the impact of effective healthy sight programs to human resources professionals by building a compelling story using materials from the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP). This approach is similar to the story built to promote smoking cessation programs, with messages like "smoking leads to absenteeism."
There is significant existing data, for example, on the number of employee complaints that result from eyestrain, particularly at the computer.
By taking these different educational approaches, ECPs can help increase patients' perceived value—and use of—vision care plans. EB
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