TAMPA, Fla.—Beginning July 1, 2014, Argus Dental & Vision will administer vision benefits to eligible Medicare Advantage members of Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare plans in Florida as well as America’s 1st Choice in North Carolina and South Carolina.

The Argus Dental & Vision contract with Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare will be an addition to the implemented dental contract already in place, which launched in January 2014. Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare are Medicare Advantage HMO Plans with a Medicare contract and a contract with the Florida Medicaid program. Together, Freedom and Optimum service over 92,000 members.

Argus Dental & Vision was founded in 2007 by Florida dentist and company president, Nicholas M. Kavouklis DMD. “We are very excited to be entrusted with Freedom and Optimum’s vision care segment,” said Kavouklis, founder and president of Argus Dental & Vision. “Freedom is led by seasoned professionals focused on quality care and as such, has earned a well-deserved reputation as the leading Medicare Advantage plan in Florida.”

Leading Argus Dental & Vision’s growing operations will be chief operations officer, Michelle Backlund, with over 20 years of experience in developing health care programs and strategic planning. “We are thrilled to continue Argus’ vision expansion in Florida and the surrounding states," she said. “With the added partnership, our membership exceeds over a quarter-million members, and we are looking forward to building dental and vision benefit access for Freedom and Optimum members.”