E3lAvBwGpiMDmQqpIHsXtoXClVDzqAy1I: December 2012

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Vision Service Plan Insurance - Covers the Necessities of Sight

At some point in everybody's life there is going to be a need for corrective lens of some sort, whether they be glasses or contacts. As such it's a good idea to look into and buy vision service plan insurance. Of course if this is provided for by the company you work for so much the better. Vision service plan insurance will generally cover the necessities of eye care leaving the cost of cosmetic enhancements up to the consumer to pay out of pocket.

Going online to find out about the nitty gritty of a vision service plan insurance policy and what they stereotypically provide is an easily facilitated task that any individual no matter how computer "challenged" they deem themselves to be. As with any type of insurance the cost of the plan depends on what type of coverage is sought after. The more you cover the more you will pay.

Most plans provide for an eye exam per year as well as lenses and frames for glasses or a set of contacts. Some plans can be set up with more coverage and a series of co payments. Coverage of getting glasses usually encompasses the following:

1. Prescribing. The eye exam and resulting prescription are done.

2. Frame selection. Help is given in choosing frames.

3. Accuracy of lenses. Once the lenses have been made and placed in the glasses making sure they have been done to specifications.

4. Fitting. At the time of pickup making sure that the glasses are adjusted in keeping with the individual's facial structure, this ensures proper vision.

5. Adjustments. This takes care of any subsequent need for adjustment due to general wear and tear.

Getting contacts usually entails the eye exam, prescription and then trying on and testing the new pair of contacts. Oftentimes the ophthalmologist suggests testing a new set of contacts out for a week or two before ordering a new set. Most vision service insurance policies cover the aspects of contacts that are visually necessary but as mentioned previously leave the cost for cosmetic embellishments-such as colors-up to the patient.

Vision Insurance Considerations Vision Insurance Plan - How To Choose Eye Insurance Plans Why You Should Have Vision Insurance Vision Insurance and Prescription Glasses Vision Insurance Plans - What Should You Keep an Eye Out For Where to Get Individual Vision Insurance

How to Choose the Best Vision Insurance Plan!

Vision insurance is a form of insurance that provides coverage for the services rendered by eye care professionals such as ophthalmologists and optometrists etc. According to an estimate, almost 50% of Americans suffer from eye sight problems and have to wear the prescribed contact lenses or eye glasses. Vision insurance plans offer great deal to help you with the costs of your contacts, glasses and eye checkup.

An eye Insurance plan is different from the regular health insurances. Eye Insurance plan is designed to help you covering cost of eye checkups and medication by offering partial of full cost of checkup services. There are many vision insurance companies, however in a broad sense Vision insurance plans can be divided into two categories:

A Vision Benefits Package covers all services rendered by eye care professionals. The benefit package pays the balance on your behalf but at times you might have to pay a co-payment for the purchase of your contacts or glasses.

On the other hand a Vision Discount Plan provides eye checkup and other vision services at discounted rates. The discount plan provides you with a list of providers who are covered by your insurance company.

If you have vision problems then it is wise to opt for the Vision Insurance Plan. Eye glasses alone costs around $200 which helplessly we lose of break sooner or later. Vision Plan can reduce the cost by 50%. It also offers a variety of packages which cover your entire family. Especially if the children in your family are also suffering from eye sight problems, it is better to subscribe to a reasonable package with a good insurance company. With children it becomes specially important since they tend to lose or break their glasses more often and constant fixing.

Vision Insurance Plan with a good company will provide you with the quality service. Companies offer a wide range of plans suitable for a variety of customers. Carefully review the benefits offered by the company in each package. You should consider how often you would have to get an eye exam and how many pair of eye glasses or contact lenses you may need yearly or half yearly. It will help you to decide which package is more suitable for your needs, so you can derive maximum benefits. You can conduct some research online, in order to find the best Vision Insurance plan for your requirements and within your budget.

Vision Insurance Considerations Vision Insurance Plan - How To Choose Eye Insurance Plans Why You Should Have Vision Insurance Vision Insurance and Prescription Glasses Where to Get Individual Vision Insurance

How to Save Money at the Eye Doctor

Many people have health insurance but don't carry things like vision coverage. The reason for this is that it is expensive and many times doesn't seem to cover very much. There is also the mindset that a heart attack could bury you financially but a new pair of glasses won't so why worry. The result is millions of people putting off visits to the doctor until the problem is too big to ignore, then paying for everything out of their own pocket. It is estimated that 7 out of 10 Americans are either under insured or completely uninsured and some of the largest numbers are those without vision coverage.

Maybe you are one of the many that wants lasik surgery but hasn't done anything because you don't have the money, or needs new glasses but doesn't want to spend the money. You're not alone. People are delaying treatments that can greatly improve their quality of life because of money. We also know that if little problems are left untreated they can often grow into much bigger conditions that are more difficult and more expensive to correct. Sometimes they even leave permanent damage.

I personally have faced the dilemma where I didn't want to fork out large amounts of cash every month for insurance I would rarely use, but at the same time paying those huge doctor bills wasn't any more appealing. I started researching and looking for an affordable answer to my problem. After going through numerous articles and website that where pretty much selling me the same thing I discovered a new concept called customer driven health care. it turns out that the majority of people are like me and put off check ups and exams as long as possible. This has really hurt medical practices especially eye doctors & dentists, leaving them hungry for new patients.

There are now medical savings groups that bring doctors together with members. The doctor get a new influx of new business and the members get huge discounts on services. Everybody wins.

Been To An Eye Appointment Recently? Expensive!

Not long ago, I was talking to a very nice lady who noted that she had laser surgery done some 10 years ago. She now seemed to have what are called "floaters" underneath the lens of her eye. She was worried about that so she went in and scheduled an appointment with the eye doctor, and he confirmed that this was quite common, and these floaters would eventually go away, not to worry about it. That was good news for her, although her appointment cost her $275 to discover this, after a mere 15 to 20 minute visit, and one hour wait in the waiting room.

She didn't have eye insurance, and she was unsure if she could get eye insurance now due to the fact that she had a pre-existing condition, and she already had laser surgery 10-years the prior. Still, you may be surprised that you are still eligible for eye insurance in this case, even if new ObamaCare mandatory insurance purchase for your personal healthcare doesn't cover this, oh you didn't know that, too bad the Congress didn't read the bill before they signed it?

Eye insurance is an add-on type of insurance, or you can get it a la carte. You might be surprised to learn that your employer offers eye insurance, and all you have to do is check off the box and they will deduct the premiums from your paycheck each month.

If you do end up with some sort of on a problem and you don't have insurance for your eyes, you won't believe how much it's going to cost, it could easily run you tens of thousands of dollars before you even realize what happened. Sometimes if you are involved in an auto accident, and your eye injury is caused by the accident, you might be covered, although there are some things auto insurance will pay for, and some that won't. You might want to look into that to make sure that you are covered in this case, but also for yourself and your family. Losing eyesight is about one of the worst things that can happen to someone.

No, I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just being blunt with the reality of the situation. There are plenty of people that sell insurance for the eyes that are out to scare people of all the potential eventualities that can cost them their life savings. That's not what I'm suggesting, I am merely advising you to go look into it, and know what you are dealing with in advance, just in case. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Vision Insurance - Spectera

Spectera touts its principals of high quality while maintaining affordable costs associated with vision care. Their vision plans offer flexible programs, with and without co-pays, and with a full range of choice of frequency options and methods of funding.

Spectera's benefits include:

Comprehensive Eye Exams-the eye doctors that partner with Spectera provide complete and thorough vision exams which include both the diagnosis and a treatment plan if required. Frames-Most frames on the market today are covered, in full, except for applicable co-pays. Contact Lenses-Spectera's contact lens benefits are unparalleled in the market. The exam, the fitting, the contacts (even disposables) and up to two follow-up visits are covered in full, after the applicable co-pay. Laser Eye Surgery-partnering with the Laser Vision Network of America, Spectera members have access to substantially discounted laser eye surgery. Members have access to more than 400 NCQA, National Committee for Quality Assurance, credentialed laser vision locations and receive a 15% discount off the standard or usual and customary price, or 5% off of any promotional price that may be offered at the time.

Spectera is proud of its unmatched network availability. Not only do their clients include both private and retail chain providers, but they own their own chain of United Optical stores. This means that most members of Spectera will have no problem finding a conveniently-located provider. From their site you can even look for a provider before ever signing up, which ensures that you will have the access you need. You can search on either your zip code and within up to a 50 mile radius or you can search by city and state. You can also search by doctor or practice name and get complete driving directions. How could it get any easier?

Spectera also has the means to oversee their quality control and cost containment. Spectera's optical laboratory, Crown Optical, maintains stringent quality standards, even more than the ANSI, the American National Standards Institute. Leading edge technology and software has resulted in the highest quality and efficiency in the fabrication of eyeglasses in the industry. And in order to deliver on their cost-containment pledge, Spectera's providers deliver services at 20 to 40 percent below the usual and customary charges for eye exams, lenses and frames. Spectera even has a double-claims system in place, allowing for easy processing of both electronic and paper claims.

Spectera also offers in and out-of-network benefits and has a handy toll-free number and an email support system to determine coverage and to help in the claims process.

So, when making a decision on vision insurance, or if you are a company looking for vision coverage for your employees, make sure to include Spectera in your cost and benefit comparison.

Vision Insurance and Prescription Glasses

A lot of people wonder whether their insurance policy covers prescription glasses too. The answer to this question will depend, of course, on the type and breadth of your policy. Generally, unless you have a specific vision insurance policy, prescription glasses will not be covered.

In most policies, vision and things related to it (glasses, contact lenses, etc.) are covered only if there is any damage to your eye due to an accident or injury. Routine eye problems are not covered under most plans. Therefore, it is recommended that you get a group or individual vision insurance policy - a small add on to your general plan that will significantly lower the costs of regular eye exams. Additionally, most plans also subsidize the cost of prescription glasses or lenses along with any surgery such as LASIK, etc. The only condition is that you have to procure the glasses from specified opticians only.

The add on cost of vision insurance over your existing policy is generally small (around $150 p.a. - less than $15 per month) There is usually a deductible which is under $50 in most cases. This is a significantly small price to pay for the rewards, which can include coverage for routine eye exams, prescription glasses, lenses, and even surgery such as LASIK, etc.

A group or individual vision insurance policy is a great choice for those who have a history of vision related problems. With the amount of time spent before computer and TV screens, the chances of damaging the eyesight have only increased. Keeping these factors in mind, it is recommended that you get a vision policy in addition to your regular insurance plan. The costs are minuscule compared to the benefits. Not only will it cover your eye exams, but also help you save money on glasses, contacts, and even surgery.

Individual Vision Insurance - What Are the Various Ways it Can Benefit You?

You may fall into either of the two categories: you have perfect eyesight and will not need prescription glasses or treatment/surgery for vision in the next several years. Or you either currently have poor eyesight or may develop some vision problems in the near future. Unfortunately, people belonging to the former category are almost impossible to find these days, what with the increased strain put on the eyes by our modern lifestyle where most of our time is spent before TV and computer screens. If you belong to the latter category, you would definitely benefit a great deal by investing in individual vision insurance.

What exactly is individual vision insurance? To explain in simple terms, it is an added benefit that can be purchased in addition to your regular health insurance. It costs only a few dollars each month (around $15-20 for most providers) and covers a variety of benefits. These range from providing coverage for visits to an eye doctor, partial coverage for eye glasses/lenses, and even surgical procedures such as LASIK.

Anybody who has suffered from poor vision knows how expensive the above mentioned treatment options can be. A single visit to the optician for a routine pair of glasses can set you back by a couple of hundred dollars. For most people, this is prohibitively out of reach. Fortunately, by paying your insurance company just a few dollars extra each month, you can cut costs dramatically on these services.

In most cases, your individual vision insurance provider will be separate from your primary insurance provider, although you should be able to find a plan that offers both. One of the biggest vision insurance providers in the United States is VSP and it works in partnerships with various insurance providers to avail you of its services. If you get your insurance through your employer, you should be able to obtain vision insurance as an added benefit without any trouble, though you may have to pay for it through your own pocket (which is a minor expense compared to the possible benefits).

For people who have poor vision, or may suffer from it in the near future, individual vision insurance is a must have that can dramatically cut costs from regular visits to the eye doctor, prescription glasses, lenses, and surgical treatments.

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Is Vision Insurance For You?

It is important to understand what insurance do before opting for visual insurance. In general, the insurance company earns income from your small premiums and in exchange you take advantage of the services. Some insurance companies will negotiate discounts in order to pass them on to you and other members. The federal and state laws regulate the work of insurance companies, and they make sure their functions are legal.

What is vision insurance? Vision insurance helps significantly to reduce the cost of annual eye exams and glasses. Some insurance policies cover services offered by a care professional to view the family, and lenses. Some of their plans are generally offered through employers, but also offer individual and family coverage and therefore, everybody can have access to a visual quality care and reasonable prices.

Let us look at some of the benefits of visual insurance:

Vision care insurance is very advantageous because everyone needs an eye exam yearly, and most families have at least one member who needs glasses or contact lenses.

Large retail stores, or shopping malls, often publish major discounts and coupons on lenses. In certain cases they notify the insurance company and they report to customers in order to give the discounts. usually need to increase its prices. Incredibly, a 40% discount on most retail stores is about the same as a discount of 20% received care from a family doctor.

Visual insurance usually cover these general aspects:

Coverage from 12 to 24 months. Depending on your specific visual insurance policy, your coverage can be up to 2 years. In order to receive these advantages of course you have to pay a premium, or it is your employer who does it.

Visual exam: During the annual comprehensive eye exam, doctors will carefully look for vision problems and other possible diseases.

One of the most important parts of the glasses is the frames. Some visual insurance policies will include the frames. You may be able to choose from a great variety and designer's frames. Most doctors will choose one for you if you cannot decide. Some policies will give you a discount on a second pair.

Prescription Glasses: visual insurance policies may pay the standard prescription lenses and for your family also, according to your plan you will be offered significant discounts on lenses that are not covered.

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How to Find Out If You Need Individual Vision Insurance?

For people with vision problems, vision insurance can be a real life saver. When you consider that one has to spend anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars every year on prescription glasses, contact lenses, and regular eye visits, it makes a lot of sense to get insured and drastically cut down these costs.

Individual vision insurance can be easily obtained through your employer. Most companies offer individual as well as group packages to insure not just yourself but also your family. This is a great plan for families that have more than one person with vision problems.

There have been cases when insurance providers haven't lived up to their promises and charged people hundreds of dollars through some clause in the fine print of the contract. Therefore, it is recommended that you carefully go through your policy and comb out any suspicious clause that may have you pay hundreds of dollars extra for treatment.

Points like the one mentioned above make many people think whether individual vision insurance is even a justified expense. After all, a policy costs around $15-20 each month. If you have just mild vision problems, can take care of your contact lenses/prescription glasses (i.e. you can manage not to break/lose them), then your total expenses for treatment every year might be just around the expenses on an insurance policy. For such people, it may make financial sense to not purchase such a policy.

But for others who have severe vision problems or keep on losing/breaking their prescription glasses and contact lenses, individual insurance can cut down the costs drastically. You can literally save hundreds of dollars, especially on prescription glasses and contact lenses, which usually cost hundreds of dollars.

In the end, you have to sit down and analyze your total expenses every year on vision related problems. If it is more than $150, then by all means, go for a vision insurance policy.

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Vision Insurance - Factors to Keep in Mind

Vision insurance is something most people are not aware of, but if you or your family members wear contact lenses or eye glasses, then it would be worthwhile to look into an group or individual vision insurance plan.

You can either procure the plan from your employer through the employee insurance schemes, or buy it directly from an insurance provider. You will have to check with your employer if you are eligible for such insurance, and if so, what all benefits will it include.

In most vision insurance packages, the range of benefits includes routine eye exams, a portion of the cost of services at an optician, and even some surgical procedures such as LASIK, etc. While many plans include free eye exams, in some, you may be required to pay an upfront co-payment. Eye surgery can be prohibitively expensive, so if you are considering going under the knife in the near future, pick a plan that includes some discount on eye surgery.

Optician's costs can burn a deep hole in your pockets. Therefore, it is recommended that you get a plan that covers at least 25-50% of these costs.

When you are out shopping for a group or individual vision insurance plan, take some time to evaluate your needs. If you are the only one with vision problems in your family, you may not need an expensive plan that provides more benefits than you may ever need. If you are in your later years and know for a fact that your vision will only get poorer with age, a well rounded plan with plenty of benefits would do you good. If poor eye sight runs in the family, then you should strive to get as much protection as possible.

Insurance is about getting the assurance of safety and comfort in case of a medical issue. Therefore, it is crucial that you pick a plan that provides you with a safety net and doesn't cost the earth.

Vision Insurance Considerations Vision Insurance Plan - How To Choose Eye Insurance Plans Why You Should Have Vision Insurance Vision Insurance and Prescription Glasses

Where to Get Individual Vision Insurance

Individual vision insurance is a specific insurance policy tailored to take care of the eyes. It provides for financial help to pay for routine eye exams, glasses, and contact lenses. It is a great policy for people who have poor eye sight and spend hundreds of dollars each month on eye care.

You can get either a group or an individual insurance policy. Group policies can be obtained through your company, or any other organization you work for. You can also obtain it through a government program such as Medicaid. Consult your company policy to know more about it.

If you want to purchase an individual policy (perhaps because you are self-employed, or your company does not offer individual vision insurance plans), you will be happy to know that most insurance providers sell separate policies for individuals.

Vision insurance is usually value added benefit to supplement a regular policy. It is available with both HMO (Heath Maintenance Organization) and PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans, and is contracted through a managed vision care network that provides eye care services.

As you may know already, in a HMO plan, you are obliged to take care from a select group of doctors, hospitals, and healthcare providers. It is a lot cheaper than PPO, but also a lot less flexible. A supplemental vision insurance policy under the HMO scheme limits your treatment option to a select group of care providers only.

The PPO scheme is a lot more flexible with fewer restrictions. Under this scheme, healthcare providers (doctors, hospitals, etc.) are contracted by the insurance company and receive a set fee for their work. The co-payment in PPO schemes is a lot higher (around 20% of the cost), but this is offset by the extra freedom.

It is obviously much more beneficial to get vision insurance under the PPO scheme, but the cost of such a policy can be quite restrictive. Your policy will usually cover the entire spectrum of eye care, such as routine eye exams by an ophthalmologist, eye tests done by an optometrist, eye surgeon, glasses, frames, and lenses, etc. The only difference is that with a PPO scheme, you are free to choose your providers, while under the HMO scheme, you will have to take up the doctor or eyewear store affiliated under the scheme.

Vision insurance cannot replace a regular policy. There is no financial reimbursement in case of any injury or damage to the eye. It only helps you pay for eye care and eyewear, and nothing else.

Usually, a policy allows for free treatment and checkups in return for a monthly or yearly fee that is added on to your current insurance plan. In some plans, you may have to pay a 'deductible' - a fixed dollar amount to be paid to the eye care provider.

Of course, an individual vision insurance policy can be custom designed to meet your needs.

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Understanding Vision Insurance

There are many misconceptions about vision insurance among most people. Few realize what it means and its benefits, and even fewer purchase it when they actually need it. Knowing what this insurance is and its benefits is the first step in determining whether you need it. Insuring your vision can be a critical component of a comprehensive insurance plan; understanding it can help you derive the maximum benefits from it.

For people who wear eye glasses, contacts, or have a history of eye problems in their family, getting an individual vision insurance plan is imperative. You can easily save upwards of thousands of dollars every year in the form of regular eye exams, doctor visits, and equipment costs (such as lenses, glasses, etc.). If there is more than one person in your family with vision problems, then you can get a group vision insurance plan that will cut down costs further while ensuring that you get the best care possible.

Even if you currently do not have any vision problems, it is still wise to get an individual vision insurance plan. You would have to take routine eye exams every few months, even if you have to vision problems. The cost of the eye exams might come out to be more than the amount you'll pay as the premium in most cases. Hence, in the long run, you'll not only save money, but also provide yourself with protection in case you develop any vision problems (which will not be surprising considering the amount of time one has to spend before computer screens these days).

Not all insurance plans are alike, however. Different plans provide different benefits. Most standard plans take care of regular eye exams, doctor visits, and part of the cost of lenses, glasses, and frames. Some plans even take care of surgical procedures such as LASIK and cataract operations. These procedures can cost several thousand dollars, and an insurance plan can significantly reduce these costs.

Vision insurance is an important part of a comprehensive health plan. Analyze your own needs to figure out whether you need it or not. In case you do, try to get the best rate possible as pertinent to your requirements.

Individual Vision Insurance - Some Eye-Popping Statistics, and the Need for a Good Vision Plan

There is no doubt whatsoever that across the world, vision health is becoming poorer each passing year. This is more so in America: in a country battling an obesity epidemic, how could eye health be any better? Compound our poor health in general with increased use of televisions, computers, and other 'screen based devices', and you can see why our vision health is going southwards.

As of now, there are over 2.5 million visually impaired people in the US - that is, those that have very limited vision (if at all). This number does not include 1 million blind. That more than 3/4th or nearly 75% of people between 25-64 require some kind of vision correction equipment (read: glasses, lenses) is a testimonial of the declining state of our nation's vision health.

Some even more troubling facts: one in four school going children have undiagnosed vision problems. It is also estimated that vision problems cost the American economy upwards of $50 billion every year.

Keeping all these statistics in mind, it seems only natural that most people list vision care plans as their most desired insurance benefits, besides a general health plan. Insurance companies too have risen to meet this demand. Today, getting an individual vision insurance plan is quite affordable, costing only a few dollars each month. Group vision insurance plans tend to be even cheaper, and more and more employers are offering this benefit to their employees.

An individual vision insurance plan basically provides cover for most vision related problems. These can range from regular eye exams and doctor visits, to partial payment for corrective glasses and contact lenses. Some policies even provide coverage for surgical procedures such as LASIK.

The cost of visiting an eye doctor, or getting a pair of glasses made can be quite high, as anybody with vision problems will testify. A single pair of glasses can run into hundreds of dollars. Taking care of your vision can cost upwards of several thousand dollars, depending on the severity of your vision problems. It makes quite sense then to invest in an individual vision insurance plan that will cover a major chunk of these expenses.

In most cases, a vision insurance plan can be added on top of your existing medical plan for only a few dollars more each month. Families can also opt for a group plan that will decrease the monthly cost even further.

A vision insurance plan is a great investment for the future, whether you are single or have a family. Vision problems will only compound in the future as eye health only deteriorates with age. A solid individual vision insurance plan will cover most expenses related to keeping your eyes healthy, and some procedures, such as regular eye exams, may also be helpful in detecting symptoms of other serious diseases like diabetes.

Why Should You Get Individual Vision Insurance?

Sight is easily the most precious of all our sense. It is arguably the strongest of our five sense. We see far better than we hear or smell. It was our superior sense of vision that gave us an evolutionary advantage over stronger animals before the dawn of human civilization. It is the sense that we resort to when interacting with the things around us. Can you even imagine a world without sight?

Despite the fact that sight is so intrinsic to our very being, few people actually take care of their eyes. We stay hunched over computer screens for hours without blinking, and stay glued to the television screen for hours on end without ever thinking the effect it will have on our eyes. No wonder so many people are falling victim to poor eyesight and vision problems at an early age these days.

For most of us, our job might require long hours before a computer. Staying long hours before a screen disrupts the normal blinking process of the eyes. Consequently, the vision tends to suffer. This is the reason why you see so many people in computer intensive industries such as IT suffer from vision problems.

Therefore, it is essential that you get your eyes checked regularly. Unfortunately, the cost of regular visits to an eye doctor is prohibitively high. To cut down these costs, it is recommended that you take up an individual vision insurance plan. Individual vision insurance is a value added service that can be procured in addition to your regular health insurance. If your medical insurance is taken care of by your employer, you can procure this service for a small fee (usually around $15-20 per month).

Vision insurance covers all aspects of healthcare for your eyes. This includes regular eye check-ups, prescription glasses and contact lenses, and even surgical procedures such as LASIK. These procedures can run into hundreds to thousands of dollars otherwise; with individual vision insurance, you can cut down the costs dramatically.

If you care about your eyes and want to safeguard them in the event of any vision problems, then individual vision insurance is just right for you.

Use Your Health Savings Account to Buy Glasses Online

This morning at work we had a presentation on health care plan options. With rate increases, our company is making us switch plans or pay out-of-pocket for the deductible on the existing plans. One of the options we are looking at is a high-deductible plan in combination with an HSA (Health Savings Account).

If you have not heard of a Health Savings Account, you will soon, as they are becoming increasingly popular. The concept for an HSA plan is two fold: a high-deductible health insurance plan is combined with a special tax-deductible savings account, called an HSA, or Health Savings Account. First, a high-deductible insurance plan means that the first $1000-$3000 (depending on the plan) of any medical service, often with the exception of annual physicals and other preventative care (which are covered with a small co-payment), is paid for entirely by the individual. The insurer does not begin paying until the deductible has been met, after which the insured individual is not required to pay anything.

But from where is an employee supposed to get this $1000-$3000 to meet deductible payments?

Enter the HSA. The IRS has set up these special accounts as such that all contributions are completely tax-free (as a "top-line" deduction, itemizing not required) and the money in the account can be used to fund any health-related expenses, including eyewear, vision, dental, acupuncture and other services typically not covered by your primary health provider. Because high-deductible health plans offer significant savings compared to traditional plans, your employer will possibly use part of the difference to fund your HSA, essentially putting money in your pocket!

Back to my company, the presentation on our health insurance options resulted in an interesting discussion. The company will be paying the premium on a high-deductible health plan and contributing $500 annually to my Health Savings Account. I'm young, healthy, and rarely see the Doctor, so this will essentially be $500 in my pocket to use on future medical expenses. Something particularly appealing about the HSA plan is that I could use my Health Savings Account to buy glasses online! This is a huge step away from the paradigm of the insurer paying ridiculous prices to the eye doctor for glasses. Because my employer has agreed to contribute $500/year into my HSA, for the first time ever, my glasses will cost me nothing out of pocket and the cost of eyeglasses will go towards my deductible! But I'll still have the incentive to go with the most cost-effective route (thereby using less from my account), so I'll buy my glasses online with the HSA debit card.

For the budget-conscious do-it-yourself type, the HSA really works out great. So, if you have a health savings account, use it to buy glasses online! It is a qualifying expense , so just save the receipt in your health expense file. Tax-free eyewear for under $100.

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