You have an opportunity to reach many under-served Americans, according to Jobson Optical Research’s 2012 Optical Retailer Report and Directory. The study found that in 2011, 12 million US adults needed yet were not using vision correction. That is up slightly from 2010, when 11.7 million said they needed vision correction and yet were going without.
The Affordable Care Act is dramatically changing the healthcare arena. Whether you support these changes or not, the changes are still happening, therefore, we need to think through how we are positioning our practice for the changes.
Here are three issues you need to consider.
1. The key point to remember is what the Affordable Care Act expanded. The Affordable Care Act is an expansion of Medicaid. Do you really want to expand the Medicaid portion of your practice?
2. If you do not participate in the Exchanges, will you be excluded from the delivery of health care to your patients?
3. There is great potential for a family to come into your office with Mom having coverage from one company, Dad having coverage from another company and the child having coverage from an entirely different third party. Mom has a $20 co-pay and a $500 deductible, Dad has no co-pay and a $1,000 deductible and the child has complete coverage for an exam and either eyeglasses or contact lenses. Have you trained your staff to explain quickly and clearly why there is such variability in the out-of-pocket fees for each family member?
January 1, 2014, is not that far away. Between now and then the government and third parties will be dumping (and I do mean dumping) new rules on us. We need to stay on top of the changes and make sure we are positioning our practices to thrive, not just survive, in the new environment that is coming.
