Colorado, California exchanges work on vision benefits

By Allison Bell

June 21, 2013

The Colorado health exchange builders have made a formal decision to look into offering users some kind of access to vision plans.

The California exchange builders are considering a vision plan alliance proposal at the working-group level.

Vision plan sales efforts have come up this month during board meetings organized by Connect for Health Colorado and by the Covered California exchange.

The Colorado exchange board has adopted a recommendation that calls for the Colorado exchange staff to look into offering access to insured, stand-alone vision plans as early as Oct. 1. The exchange would offer access by providing a website link to a separate stand-alone vision sales website.

"If at any time the time and resources related to this development compromises launch of  the marketplace, we will delay this option," according to a copy of the recommendation posted on the Colorado exchange website.

Patty Fontneu, the Colorado exchange exe noted that another organization would take care of vetting the plans offered, and that inserting the link should require no "technological lift."

Representatives from Vision Service Plan (VSP) noted this week at a California exchange board meeting that Colorado was moving ahead with formal efforts to add access to vision benefits.

California exchange officials and VSP representatives who spoke at a board meeting Thursday said the California is looking into the possibility of linking to a vision plan website that would be operated by eHealth Inc. (Nasdaq:EHTH).

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