“There are only two products in this world. Solutions to Problems and Warm Fuzzies.” Author Unknown.
In a recent letter to the editor in the AOA News, Kevin Katz, O.D., the president of the Texas Optometric Association laid his feelings on the line about a recent meeting VSP held with the TOA board.
“The Texas Optometric Association (TOA) board met with VSP representatives at our board meeting to try and answer some questions about our relationship with them. Two days after the meeting, VSP announced that, in addition to Costco, Eyemasters will now be a VSP affiliate provider. They somehow failed to mention that at our meeting, and I believe that is a commentary on the relationship.
We wanted to know why VSP wants to identify diabetic and medical patients and what their endgame is in this regard. We wanted to know why our reimbursements keep going down while the company seems to be very profitable and acquiring other companies. We wanted to know how the VSP board sees the future of VSP vision care by independent doctors of optometry and how the board is constituted. We wanted to know if VSP is really committed to the independent O.D.
We heard a lot of rhetoric that any one of you could have parroted. It was all about reducing costs to cover more lives and get you more patients. It was all about identifying medical patients so that they can offer more value to employers. It was all about being competitive.
We were hoping to have some common ground so that we could work together. Seems to me that VSP is just a business intent on maximizing its profits. Nothing wrong with that, except many of us were under the misconception that there was a partnership and relationship of trust built over the years.
I guess the world has changed and it doesn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy. “
I think more and more none of us are feeling the warm fuzzies. Not that we ever did, BUT…
Here’s an idea: VSP owns Marchon. VSP owns OfficeMate. How about we the doctors cut the Marchon buying by half. Like most offices, one of our largest vendors is Marchon, because they have historically been pretty good to deal with. Here’s an example:
500 doctors cut $5000 in Marchon spending. That is $2.5 million. Would that wake up VSP? I think it would send a clear message to them that we see where they are headed.
Just a thought.
I heard about this meeting on another board. Sounds like Kevin has some serious follow up questions to ask of VSP. I wonder how that follow up went? Has he asked for any follow up or clarity? Why not? I know if I didn’t feel my questions were answered or that I was left with less than the warm and fuzzy feeling I was looking for, I’d be all over it in terms of follow up. I trust you’ll keep us all posted on what you find out from Kevin,