Thanks to a loyal reader for submitting this video (see comments).
Apparantly, VSP employees, who have one of the best benefit packages in the world (for example: 15% 401k Contribution…twice that of IBM), have been fighting for Provider fee increases. Yep…it's hand to hand combat out there as they attempt to obtain reimbursement increases for their downtrodden providers. As a result, employees at VSP are apparantly pretty stressed.
So, what does VSP do? View the video below. Rumor has it that the benefits described (read post of July 14, 2009) will soon be available to the employees of VSP's 26,000 Providers through a special grant; the result of outstanding profits from VSP's various companies who sell their products and services to…you guessed it…VSP Providers.
http://www.kcra.com/video/21532360/index.html
Reality is that I wish I could provide these services to my employees. And, under normal circumstances, I'd applaude any company that did this for their team. That said, VSP (and other vision plans) earns its largesse by; a) controlling 55million patients and; b) cramming ridiculously low reimbursements and ludicrous policies down the throats of Providers, many of whom are dominated by VSP patients and scared to say a word.
What's going on with Vision Plans isn't fair…and sooner or later things are going to change.
