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The vision care market is exploding. A hallmark of its growth is consolidation, with the large group plans exercising ever increasing control over the services and products offered by providers. Moreover, these plans are also expanding vertically. That is, they not only control the vision plan market, but they are becoming major players in the product arena. These plans have bought or opened retail stores, labs, and manufacturers, giving them control of the complete chain of vision care. In doing so, they can control price, discounts, and reimbursements in the vision care plan industry. This market domination, and its pressure on providers, can make a local vision care company more desirable for employers. As a broker helping clients select Oklahoma employee benefits, you could consider these companies too.
Local Oklahoma employee benefits providers know their market
Vision care needs vary greatly in a country as large as the United States. Tropical environments like Florida and Hawaii present significantly different eye health issues than colder, lower-light locations like Alaska and the northern mainland states. Local economies also vary greatly. A helpful and valuable plan payment in Iowa may not be the same in New York. Demographics can also affect the desirable services in a given region. Vision Care Direct of Oklahoma can help you offer a plan suited for the south-central part of the United States.
As a broker, you can shine as an expert on your local community and its needs. What do those in your community want from their vision care plan? What challenges do local employers face in meeting those wants and needs? As you become an expert in answering these questions, you can evolve in the eyes of your customers. Be more than their salesperson. Be their partner in finding the best vision benefit plans as part of Oklahoma employee benefits for their workers.
Bigger is not always better
As in much of the healthcare marketplace, the vision care plan industry continues to consolidate both horizontally (plan companies merging) and vertically (plan companies acquiring retail locations and manufacturers). This trend produces larger companies with larger networks, but offers little value to plan participants if few local providers accept the merged plans. However, if you help employers find the right locally-based vision care plan, you may provide their employees with a broader range of options. As a result, workers may be able to use the small local practice offering a personal connection to its patients.
The plan provider with a local focus is more likely to listen to comments from vision care providers. They will consider more options in the services they provide. In addition, the locally-focused plan provider will work to process claims in a way that meets the needs and wants of smaller local providers. Simply put, the local company better understands the local market. Therefore, it can offer its customers a more personal connection with sought-after products and services.
Payment processing
Local plan providers are more likely to listen to their vision care providers. With a more focused network and fewer providers, locally-focused plans can take the time to hear and respond to what their providers need. They can shape their request for payments process for this group instead of settling for the lowest common denominator.
Serving the local community
A locally-focused provider works in and supports its community. Its work provides local jobs and supports the work of other employers in the community. Further, its local base returns money to the local economy, putting money back in the pockets of the employers offering the benefits. Using a locally-focused plan provider lets an employer demonstrate its core values in its own community. Let Vision Care Direct of Oklahoma and nationwide help you find the way.
