What percentage of companies offer vision insurance?
Just 35% of employers offer vision insurance to their employees–and the problem, it seems, is one of perception. Health and vision in numbers: Size matters when it comes to health coverage. Virtually all employers with 1,000 or more workers offer health-related benefits to some or all of their employees; for smaller companies (3 to 9 […]
Just 35% of employers offer vision insurance to their employees–and the problem, it seems, is one of perception.
Health and vision in numbers:
Size matters when it comes to health coverage. Virtually all employers with 1,000 or more workers offer health-related benefits to some or all of their employees; for smaller companies (3 to 9 employees) the figure is 44 percent. Those figures are set to rise in 2016 when the Affordable Care Act requires that organizations with 50 or more full-time employees provide employer-sponsored health care.
More than half of those employers provide a dental care benefit for their employees. By contrast, the number of employers taking out ancillary vision insurance is startlingly low.
Reasons for the low take-up
Simple-vision care is not perceived as essential. Many employers do not see the value in offering ancillary vision insurance and do not make the link between healthy vision and productivity. This lack of awareness means that the majority of employers never even discuss vision benefits with employees.
In reality, comprehensive eye exams detect more than hazy vision. An optometrist can spot the early signs of systemic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure before the patient even suspects he or she has a problem. Early detection means early intervention, which reduces medical costs and absenteeism in the long run.
There’s also plenty of evidence to suggest that even minor vision problems can reduce productivity by up to 20 percent, mainly due to workers with impaired vision needing additional time to complete their work. Correcting these problems through paid-for eye checks and prescription eyewear should boost their productivity and, ultimately, your bottom line.
Closing the vision disconnect
Adding a vision benefit is a cost-effective way for you to reduce health-related absenteeism, increase productivity and reduce health care premiums. Plus, a vision plan allows you to get a leg up on your competitors by offering a great benefit that is not yet commonplace in the recruitment market.
With benefits like that on offer, there’s likely to be a lot more vision plan take-up in the future.
Helpful Links
All About Vision: What is Vision Insurance? – This resource gives an overview of how vision insurance works and how it can help employees.
