Prescription Safety Eyewear Program

nannerh

We have a program in which we reimburse ee's for prescription safety glasses. In order to get reimbursed the ee must go to a specific optical center. Recently an ee complained that this center was charging twice as much for glasses as somewhere else and wanted to go there. Are there any compliance rules that says we have to have an exclusive carrier or can allow them to go where they want and just bring us the receipt for reimbursement? I can see having an exclusive carrier that can verify the glasses meet our requirements but when I called the carrier they didnt have any requirements on file.

LindaS

We are in WI as well and have the prescription safety glass program. IF an employee wants to use the program, they can go to any local eye doctor who then orders the glasses through a specific company and we payroll deduct for the balance after we take off the $50.00 we give them. IF they choose to go somewhere else, they bring the in the receipt and they get reimbursed their $50.00. I have employees that do both. As for requirements, safety glasses have to meet ANSI standards and that is noted right on the frame. As for requirements that you have, if you have anything industry specific, the company should have that on file.

HRCalico

I don't think there are any compliance rules, but I wanted to share our policy. We require employees to have had an eye exam in the past two years. They pay for the cost of the exam unless it is a job requirement that their eyes are checked (i.e. our quality department, our two solderers). We will pay up to $150 for prescription glasses every two years. If they use our local eye doctor (only one - it's a small town), and it's less than $150 (always has been so far), the doc just bills us. If it's over $150 or if the EE chooses to go to a different doc, the employee pays and submits for reimbursement.

dynamite9551

the last time i was involved in this type of benefit we utilized a national chain with local offices throughout the city. we had a specific plan geared to our company and demands, e.g, the employer picked the style of frame, the level of lenses, etc. up to a certain dollar limit. if the employee chooses a different style over what the company allows or an "extra" the employee pays any difference. we weren't obligated to provide glasses that were "pretty" so to speak, but we had requirements such as top and side shields had to be attached, plastic lenses, no tint (unless specified on the 'script). some employees wanted to use this as their everyday glasses and not for what they were intended....safety!

good luck!

E Wart

We are similar to most of the respondants. We have a national "agreement" with Walmart and National Vision Center, a company that has the optical dept at some of the Walmart locations. Employees get a form from us showing that it is ok to bill us for the glasses. It will provide them with information so that they can bring up our plan. Then employees can pay for what we don't cover or have them bill us directly and we can payroll ded it for them. This has worked wonderfully, especially since we are in 8 states. I called all over trying to find a company that would do this for us. I can provide contact names and a copy of our policy to anyone who might want them. (We do not pay for eye exam)
[email]ewarthen@newcombspring.com[/email]

E Wart

Dutch2

If the glasses truly are half price at another vendor, it might be worth a call to them to check out their prices and quality.