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NEW YORK—The industry’s managed vision companies regularly tinker with their plan offerings to keep them as current as possible with new developments in vision care, new technologies and new trends in consumers’ eyecare patterns.

Read Vision Monday’s Special Report and find out what execs are saying about how today’s managed vision landscape is changing. And don’t miss VM’s exclusive ranking of the top 10 plans.

Here’s a look at some of the changes managed vision firms will be making in their plans for the coming year. (Not all companies were willing to unveil details of their 2011 programs at presstime, therefore not every managed vision player is included.)


Advantica: “We see benefits changing as new lens technology is available, as well as lens features within a benefit.”—Richard Sanchez, president

AlwaysCare Benefits: “We recently added two enhanced vision plan options featuring no co-pay and a generous allowance for contact lenses, separate benefits for CL fitting services/evaluations, and low in-network co-pays for comprehensive eye exams. We’re also very excited about the pending launch of fully insured, specialized eyewear plans.”—Erich Sternberg, president

Avesis: “For 2011 we are adding more intensive eye/medical coordinated care programs.”—Alan Cohn, chief executive officer/president

Block Vision: “We have found products with dual co-pays (exam and eyewear) to be growing in popularity, due to the effect such a co-pay structure has on lowering premiums. We’ve also found interest in plan designs that offer coverage of premium lens options, because such plan designs allow groups to offer enhanced coverage with a relatively minor price impact. Additionally, plans that allow a member to apply his or her eyewear allowance to the cost of laser vision correction procedures have proven popular.”—Andy Alcorn, president

Davis Vision: “We are working on new product offerings, and will be more visible in the marketplace through frequent messaging to patients and providers.”—Steve Holden, president

EyeMed Vision Care: “We will continue our ‘wellness’ journey and continue education on the eyecare/wellness connection.”—Liz DiGiandomenico, president

eyeQuest: “In addition to our current programs, eyeQuest will begin to market to municipal employee programs in some areas. To serve this membership, we’ll be adding a number of value-added services such as Lasik discounts and a mail-order replacement contact lens service.”—Carl Moroff, OD, chief vision officer

MESVision: “Our plans for 2011 include the inclusion of a comprehensive sun care benefit and additional benefits for popular lens options, as well as member-driven cost reductions to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.”—Mike Schell, vice president/sales

Superior Vision: “We will provide more value-added options to members in 2011 from a product perspective and from an administrative perspective.”—Rick Corbett, president and chief executive officer

VSP Vision Care: “We plan a variety of changes; for example, starting Jan. 1, 2011, we are revamping our products to add flexibility to the way clients can cover lens options such as progressives and coatings.”—Gary Brooks, president

WellPoint Vision: “We will continue to expand efforts around clinical integration to improve member health outcomes, introduce plan features that reduce member out-of-pocket costs and look at opportunities to further integrate vision benefits into comprehensive health-care programs.”—Jeff Spahr, staff vice president-vision and voluntary services