NAVCP disagrees with study conclusions on role of stand-alone vision plans

The National Association of Vision Care Plans agrees with the majority of some recent study findings, but maintains the importance of all vision plans in eye health, according to an NAVCP press release.

A study published in December in the Archives of Ophthalmology compared rates of eye care visits to rates of vision impairment in 27,152 working-age adults with and without vision insurance.

The researchers concluded that the lack of vision insurance “impedes eye care utilization, which, in turn, may irrevocably affect vision. Vision insurance for preventive eye care should cease to be a separate insurance benefit and should be mandatory in all health plans.”

NAVCP stated in the press release that it agrees with the study results in recognizing the relationship between eye health and overall health.

“Much like dental care, regular vision exams and eye care maintenance promote an individual’s preventive health and provide an opportunity for early diagnosis of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension – both key goals of the Affordable Care Act,” according to the NAVCP. “Similarly, NAVCP recognizes the role that comprehensive health plans featuring an embedded vision care benefit play in administering eye care and maintaining eye health.”

However, the NAVCP stated that the study’s conclusion regarding eye care as a separate benefit would “repress utilization of vision care and subsequently the overall health benefits” by excluding stand-alone vision plans.

“A NAVCP study conducted by an outside consulting firm demonstrated that Americans with stand-alone vision plans are twice as likely to get an annual eye exam as those with vision coverage bundled in major medical plans,” the NAVCP stated.

The association supports the inclusion of all vision care models in federal and state-based exchanges, the group said.

The NAVCP is a trade association for the managed vision care industry, which covers more than 119 million lives.