Daily peek at eyecare
VSP Global CEO Rob Lynch was featured this week on the CEO Show, a radio program which goes “in depth with business leaders who have reinvented industry by creating customer experience organizations.”
During Rob’s segment, he discusses VSP Vision Care’s not-for-profit business model and the importance of not-for-profits in healthcare. Listen now.
Are you flying American Airlines this month or US Airways in November or December? If so, tune into Sky Radio’s in-flight programming to hear an interview with VSP Global CEO Rob Lynch about a recent study undertaken by Human Capital Management Services, Inc. on behalf of VSP.
The study found that for every dollar invested in VSP’s exam services, clients saved 94 cents in medical, lost-time, and human capital costs from the early detection of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol through an eye exam.
Not flying anytime soon? Click below to hear the interview.
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To read more about the study, click here for Vision Monday’s coverage.
Al Schubert
Al Schubert, VSP’s Vice President of Managed Care and Health Policy, was on the air with Tom Sullivan last week, discussing vision care’s place in healthcare reform.
Listen to the interview, and let us know what you think.
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Earlier today, VSP Global CEO Rob Lynch appeared on CNBC’s Street Signs with Erin Burnett. In a joint interview with Evelyn Irelend, Executive Director of the National Association of Dental Plans, Rob discussed the current plan for healthcare reform, and potential impacts to vision and dental care.
See the clip on CNBC.com here.
Liz is a member of VSP's Corporate Public Relations team.
Since June, the Los Angeles Times has published a continuing editorial series on Healthcare Reform. In today’s opinion piece, “Patient Approach,” the article discusses how unintended consequences could be the result of incremental reform. VSP is mentioned to make that point:
Excerpt:
In short, shifting to a more limited bill won’t grease the skids for healthcare reformers. Instead, advocates should redouble their efforts to build public support for a comprehensive measure. The loss of momentum could actually help their cause because the breakneck pace leading up to the August recess invited opponents to make an issue out of the process, rather than focusing on the problems in the current system and how to solve them. And it raised the likelihood that provisions of the bill would have unintended consequences because they simply hadn’t been given enough thought.
Here’s an example. To address the problems faced by uninsured or underinsured Americans, the House version of the bill would require medical insurance companies to offer an “essential benefits package,” including dental and vision care for children. Making sure that kids receive such care is a smart, cost-effective move. Most medical insurers, however, stopped providing dental and vision coverage years ago as their customers sought to cut premiums, and specialized insurance companies emerged to fill those niches. Today, more than 130 million people obtain coverage through family policies from specialized insurers, mainly Delta Dental Plans Assn. of Oak Brook, Ill., and VSP of Rancho Cordova, Calif. The House bill would pressure the insurance business to restructure in order to simplify the task of subsidizing children’s dental and vision benefits and, possibly, increase competition in that coverage. But there’s no evidence that such a change would yield better deals for consumers or improve efficiency in the system.
Read the entire editorial here.
Lee Anne P. is a VSP Wellness Coordinator.
VSP has been following the Health Care Reform debate and is making sure vision is a part of that conversation. Today, Rob Lynch, VSP’s CEO, was on Fox Business to state our position. Watch Rob and let us know what you think.
One of the greatest things about VSP’s headquarters is its location; California and Sacramento are home to great cultural diversity. Like our community, VSP serves members, clients and doctors in all geographies, regions, cultures and economic situations. That’s why it is imperative that we understand and reflect the communities we serve. And this is increasingly important as we continue to expand globally.
A significant part of this effort is VSP’s Hispanic outreach. Recently our Hispanic Business Assessment Pilot in association with our Diversity Council achieved a number of milestones:
These include sponsorships of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 29th Annual Convention; the Fiestas Patrias Santa Ana, the largest Mexican Independence Day celebration in southern California; and the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Latin Music Festival.
We also introduced new Spanish-language communication materials that help increase awareness about the unique health risks that Latinos face, and how eye exams play an important role in preventive care .
Our Spanish-speaking call center representatives provide enhanced service to callers from throughout the United States. We developed new Spanish-language collateral for brokers and clients to better communicate with VSP members and prospective members, and we launched our new robust Spanish-language Web site.
The Web site address is www.vsp.com/espanol and it’s been updated to offer a comprehensive Latino experience. It features all the functionality of our English-language site including our Eyecare Discovery Center, VSP in the Community, Find a VSP Doctor and benefit summaries. Furthermore it provides specialized information relevant to the Latino community. No other major eyecare benefits company has done anything like this.
As VSP moves forward we will continue to examine what it means to be a global organization. To me, it’s about being inclusive and considering the needs of everyone we serve. Latinos are at higher risk for health conditions such as glaucoma and diabetes, and it is our duty to help raise awareness about the importance of comprehensive eyecare in early detection and disease management. These efforts will help all of our members and prospective members have access to culturally-competent care.
I’d like to share my thoughts on how tax-exempt status helps not-for-profit healthcare companies deliver the best care to the community.
The core mission of a dedicated healthcare organization is to help patients receive the highest-quality care. And not-for-profit healthcare companies are uniquely structured to achieve this vision.
Since they have no owners, shareholders, or dividends to pay out, not-for-profits reinvest surplus revenue back into the delivery of care rather than removing resources from the system. This provides an important social benefit to the community and delivers the most healthcare for the dollar.
Historically the United States government recognized the value of this community benefit by granting tax-exempt status to not-for-profit healthcare companies. This exemption allowed those companies to invest more resources to expand access to high-quality care.
For more than 40 years, VSP had such an exemption; however the Internal Revenue Service withdrew it in 2003. The decision was puzzling because VSP did not change its business philosophy or commitment to the community. VSP asked the IRS to share the guidelines they use to define what constitutes a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization. They would not, and VSP sought a court ruling to have its tax-exemption restored.
The Sacramento Business Journal provides a solid overview of the issues in this case. There are broad potential implications for the future of not-for-profit healthcare, and VSP has asked the Supreme Court of the United States to consider this case.
Recently, national media outlets including the New York Times, Fox Business, the Wall Street Journal , and Fortune discussed the case, and I encourage you to consider their perspectives.
If VSP regains our tax exemption, we could devote additional resources now being paid as taxes into our programs that expand the community’s access to the best eyecare. We hope that the Supreme Court recognizes the importance of this case to the delivery of healthcare in the United States.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
I really value my eye doctor. I’ve been a patient at his practice for years, and I’ve learned to trust him to not only provide great care, but also to play an important role in my overall health.
He’s one of VSP’s 25,000 private practice eye doctors across the country that is specially trained to diagnose and treat eye disease and also detect early signs of serious chronic health conditions. When VSP doctors recognize potential signs of diseases like diabetes or hypertension in their patients they are particularly adept at coordinating care with physicians, which helps people manage their conditions and live healthier lives.
When I began working for VSP, I was interested to learn that 90% of diabetes-related blindness can be prevented by early detection and diligent management through regular eye exams. The facts show that millions of Americans have pre-diabetes and don’t even know it, and eye exams can be the key to identifying the threat and preventing irreparable damage from diabetes.
Private practice eye doctors serve a significant role in helping patients with diabetes manage their disease. Among the principal factors is that these doctors consistently have the longest relationships with their patients and provide the best care. This allows them to monitor for early signs of disease during annual exams, provide education on how to prevent and control diabetes, track progress and coordinate care with primary care physicians. The sound advice from independent doctors helps keep eyes healthy whether you’re living with pre-diabetes or diabetes.
With the potential to detect, treat and manage eye and chronic diseases through an annual eye exam, the opportunity is clear; annual eye exams must be an essential part of Americans’ healthcare. And private practice eye doctors are the trusted source for this care.
