Warning: FEDVIP and parents of college-age dependents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never had dental or vision insurance in my life. Just pay out of pocket.

My life irrationally sucks so yours should too

I think maybe the point was that these insurance policies don’t necessarily save you that much. The companies know you will have cleanings and new glasses periodically and build that into the premium cost. Moreover the federal government isn’t paying any share of the premium. So for routine care there is no real benefit.

Now if you need a crown or a root canal there will be savings but you need to weigh the likelihood against the cost of premiums and that’s not very likely for a 22 yo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VSP is basically a waste. You are required to go to certain providers who give you a "free" exam, but then you pay exorbitant prices for glasses and contacts. Just go to Costco for your eye exam, then buy your contacts and glasses online. Even if you need to try on glasses before you buy, many online sites now allow that or you could go to a Warby Parker store. You'll still come out ahead versus paying for the VSP plan then going to a VSP provider for your contacts and glasses.

I have VSP and while I have to use the VSP provider for an eye exam, I don't have to use them for contact lens benefit. I buy my glasses online, which is pretty cheap (less than Warby Parker). It's not mandatory to buy glasses and contact lenses from the VSP provider.

If you have a VSP provider that willingly hands over the prescription after the eye exam, please share the name. Sure, they're legally required to do it but that doesn't mean they actually will.

Not that poster but Dr Lerner in Bethesda for eyes. They have to give you the prescription. I e always gotten one. You can buy glasses anywhere.

[Anonymous]

I've never had an issue getting an RX for glasses and getting it filled anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve had FEDVIP vision and dental coverage, in addition to BCBS FEP for 20+ years. My oldest child is a college senior and on the older side for her grade (fall birthday). In the late summer, about two months before her birthday, we got two letters in the mail— identical except one was for FEDVIP dental (we have MetLife) and the other for vision (we have VSP). They informed us that as of her 22nd birthday, she would no longer be covered by either of these plans as our dependent. Our regular medical insurance covers her till she’s 26 but the vision and dental plans stop at 22. So now she doesn’t have that coverage until she finds employment after graduation. (Working on it, but in her field applications are just opening.) Since she was away at school she wasn’t able to see our regular dentist and eye doctor before the coverage ended (she also wears both contacts and glasses). Fortunately she was able to use our BCBS medical insurance for a dental checkup and cleaning for just a $35 copay, but now we are waiting and crossing fingers that her teeth and eyes stay healthy till she’s got a job.

Just a word of warning because this caught us completely by surprise and I’m sure there are other Feds in the same position.

It always was like that. My kids graduated from college many years ago, and we received the same letter when they reached 22. This information is in the plan, why are you surprised?

[Anonymous]

She should get lasik and you can get a Delta Dental ACA plan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VSP is basically a waste. You are required to go to certain providers who give you a "free" exam, but then you pay exorbitant prices for glasses and contacts. Just go to Costco for your eye exam, then buy your contacts and glasses online. Even if you need to try on glasses before you buy, many online sites now allow that or you could go to a Warby Parker store. You'll still come out ahead versus paying for the VSP plan then going to a VSP provider for your contacts and glasses.

I have VSP and while I have to use the VSP provider for an eye exam, I don't have to use them for contact lens benefit. I buy my glasses online, which is pretty cheap (less than Warby Parker). It's not mandatory to buy glasses and contact lenses from the VSP provider.

If you have a VSP provider that willingly hands over the prescription after the eye exam, please share the name. Sure, they're legally required to do it but that doesn't mean they actually will.

I go to a doctor I like at Pearl Vision in Wheaton then take the Rx to Costco.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never had an eye doctor who didn’t hand over my RX at check out.

I don’t have vision insurance. I pay out of pocket at Costco, and the non-Costco eye doctor whose office is next to the cart corral at Costco. It’s $100 for an eye exam. I want to say my glasses (with the fancy thin anti-glare bifocal lenses) are about $250. Contacts (bifocal and astigmatism and high RX) were about $400. So $750 for everything without insurance. When I had insurance, I paid about $800 at My Eye Doctor for all of this. I run everything through my FSA too.

I know my dentist will reduce the price for self-pay. My dad moved here recently, and his Medicare dental plan wasn’t in network with my dentist, and we didn’t want to find a different dentist for him. At the end of the day, my dad paid about 50 percent of the rate my dentist bills my FEDVIP dental insurance.

[Anonymous]

a lot of people dont have vision or dental. your kids may not have it later on even too. go to warby parker or costco or something like that for glasses. wont be too much different. hope for major dental work.

[Anonymous]

*no major dental work*

[Anonymous]

VSP is so awful that even Republicans think they might be committing antitrust violations regarding their bundling practices of eye exams with contacts/glasses:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/3808130/house-republicans-antitrust-vision-insurance-market/

Texas already passed a law about this, and VSP sued to prevent it from taking effect.

[Anonymous]

BTDT
We picked up my spouses Vision & Dental only plan for them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VSP is basically a waste. You are required to go to certain providers who give you a "free" exam, but then you pay exorbitant prices for glasses and contacts. Just go to Costco for your eye exam, then buy your contacts and glasses online. Even if you need to try on glasses before you buy, many online sites now allow that or you could go to a Warby Parker store. You'll still come out ahead versus paying for the VSP plan then going to a VSP provider for your contacts and glasses.

I have VSP and while I have to use the VSP provider for an eye exam, I don't have to use them for contact lens benefit. I buy my glasses online, which is pretty cheap (less than Warby Parker). It's not mandatory to buy glasses and contact lenses from the VSP provider.

If you have a VSP provider that willingly hands over the prescription after the eye exam, please share the name. Sure, they're legally required to do it but that doesn't mean they actually will.

I go to a doctor I like at Pearl Vision in Wheaton then take the Rx to Costco.

Wow Pearl Vision is still around