COSTA MESA, Calif.— CareCredit, a leading health, beauty and wellness credit card, and not-for-profit VSP Vision Care (VSP), the nation’s largest vision insurance provider, have announced an exclusive agreement to help nearly 70 million VSP members increase access to financing for quality eyecare and optical products at thousands of participating VSP network providers.

Through the agreement, the two organizations will partner together to educate VSP’s nearly 70 million members and CareCredit’s 9 million cardholders about options for managing eyecare expenses for a range of lifestyle choices, including glasses and contacts, sunglasses, specialty sport and other customizable eyewear. They will also work to connect members and cardholders with the providers who accept CareCredit in the VSP doctor network.

“CareCredit and VSP share a common goal of helping patients get the vision care and products they need and want, while enhancing both patient and provider satisfaction,” said Dave Fasoli, president and CEO of CareCredit. “This agreement brings together payment options from a respected finance company and coverage benefits of a leading insurance provider to provide a complete solution for VSP customers to manage the cost of their families’ vision needs.”

VSP will work with its network of 32,000 providers to add the CareCredit credit card as a payment option and to educate its patients about the benefits of CareCredit.

“Our members are highly satisfied with their VSP coverage because it does a great job of meeting their daily eyecare and eyewear needs,” said VSP Vision Care president Jim McGrann. “But there are times when members want or need extras that enhance their lifestyle and CareCredit can help them address those costs.”

McGrann also told VMail, “VSP is constantly evaluating new resources to provide a high value experience with financial benefits for both VSP members and VSP network providers. CareCredit provides another payment option that will give practices an additional way to enhance the patient’s purchasing power. Through this relationship, all VSP network providers who elect to offer CareCredit in their practice will conveniently and automatically receive savings on provider processing rates, with VSP Premier Program Practices experiencing even further savings.”

In reply to questions from VMail, a VSP spokesperson added, ”Approximately half of the existing VSP provider network already accepts CareCredit. These providers will automatically receive savings on the provider processing rates for special financing options, effective April 1, 2015. All VSP network providers receive a 25 percent savings on regular CareCredit provider processing rates for special financing options. VSP Premier Program Practices receive a 40 percent savings on regular CareCredit provider processing rates for special financing options (exclusive to the VSP Global Premier Program).”

He noted, “CareCredit will provide practices that choose to participate with patient educational materials as well as training for the provider and staff.”

For nearly 30 years, CareCredit, from Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF), has helped millions of patients receive needed and desired care. CareCredit is a health, wellness and beauty credit card that can be used as a financing option for certain expenses not covered by insurance or to bridge payment when desired care exceeds insurance coverage. CareCredit is accepted at 186,000 health care practices nationwide.