Industry News & Company Updates from America's Leading Independent Optical Laboratory
Laws Prevent Managed Care Companies from Requiring ODs to Use Their Labs
Other states passed laws previously forbidding Managed Care Insurance Companies requiring ODs to use their labs. Now, Texas joined them in June, 2015 as Texas Governor, Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 684 (Click here) into law.
This Texas law allows private optometric practioners to fulfil patient’s eyeglass prescription for their lab of choice, instead of being forced to use the managed vision care company lab. The law goes into effect in September 2015. Contracts entered into or renewed on September 1, 2015 and after the date will be covered by this law.
Managed Care insurance companies cannot restrict or limit the optometrist’s choice of source, including optical laboratories used to provide materials or services to their patients. The managed care companies cannot control the professional judgment, manner of practice, paying an optometrist for a service not provided or requiring an optometrist to disclose a patient’s confidential or protected health information not authorized by that patient.
The law passed in Georgia in 2010 and has also been adopted in other states including, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, and West Virginia. Brian Reuwer, AOA associate director, state government relations, told VMail, “The law did what it was designed to do, and it’s possible that it could set a precedent for other states.”
The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed that Spectera violated Georgia’s Patient Access to Eye Care Act when the managed vision care company required independent providers to use Spectera’s lab network for eyeglasses and/or contact lenses.
In order to keep the freedom of choosing the lab to process the optometrists lab work for their clients, all eye care professionals should be encouraged to get involved in their state optometry association and any professional organization standing up to the big managed care companies.
New! Marketing e-book for Eye Care Professionals
It's not uncommon for us to hear frustration in our customers' voices as they talk about marketing. "I went to school to become an optician, not a marketing guru!," they exclaim!
Well, if you would like a marketing refresher course, or just get some ideas to market your eye care business, check out Icare Labs' latest e-book, "Marketing Boot Camp for ECPs."
You'll find valuable information on topics like:
- Basic Marketing Concepts
- Marketing to Today's Internet-Savvy Consumer
- Utilizing Social Media Basic
- Website Design Considerations
- Much More!
You can request a free copy by clicking here.
Celebrating A Company Milestone!
Our focus has been on listening to our customers and improving our operation. With our newly-expanded lab, our outstanding customer service and lab staff, and our "done-right and on-time" lenses and glasses at our unbelievable prices, we continue to grow week after week.
This month, we celebrated a recent record production week. Our lab recently shipped more orders in a week than ever before. So, it's time to celebrate!
As a reward for hard-work and the above-and-beyond effort of our Lab Team, our gracious owners provided a steak & lobster meal for every employee.
It's great to work for a company that appreciates its employees and goes out of their way to show it. "A huge thanks for everyone who helped make this milestone possible," said Skip Payne, President of Icare Labs. "We look forward to continued growth and another celebration when we blow past our next milestone."
Below are some photos from this week's festivities.
‘Polarize Your Summer’ Younger Optics Promotion Under Way!
Beginning July 1st, 2015, we started the summer season promotion with Younger Optics. The ‘Polarize Your Summer & Win!’ offers 25 points in total to redeem for an Amazon Gift Card. The way you build your points is to sell pairs of Younger Optics NuPolar® or, Transitions® Drivewear® sun lenses. You receive 2 points for each pair of Single Vision or Flat Top lenses and 5 points for each pair of Image® or, Adage® Progressives.
This promotion started on July 1st and ends September 30, 2015. Redemption forms have been included in the mailing of the June statements. The September qualified purchases must be completed on the redemption form and submitted by October 15, 2015 to qualify for the rewards. Some restrictions apply, so if you have any questions, call 877.422.7352 or Email: Service@icarelabs.com.
If you did not receive your form in the June statement, just ask your IcareLabs Account Manager to send it to you by Email. Once you have a completed form, you may Fax it toll free to: 800.683.0374 to your Account Manager’s attention.
Go over the promotion with your staff and roll play to be sure they know how to present it to your clients. Take advantage of the ‘Polarize Your Summer & Win’ Younger Optics promotion and give your sales a boost over the summer months!
Eye Care Professionals Affiliating With Helpful Causes
As optical professionals, it is important to affiliate yourself and your business with organizations that touch your local community as well as people at national level. A person running a business and taking care of patients full time cannot get involved with every national or local good cause organization out there. There are choices you can make to narrow down where you contribute your time and money to.
As you review an organization, look into what have they done within your local community. Prevent Blindness.org is a national non-profit organization that has coordinated events, medical information and collateral to help your business bring attention to a good cause. There are opportunities for you to promote support for Prevent Blindness. Your office can show your customers that you are supporting their community. Find out through local organizations, churches or schools what local need there is to help.
When you visit the website www.preventblindness.org, there is a choice of going to the link: Prevent Blindness in your State. Or, you may call and ask about upcoming events, and ways to get involved. They say you may donate, of course and create your own campaign to raise money on behalf of the organization. Also, you may advocate for preventing blindness, getting involved with current Congressional Vision Caucus to help strengthen a national dialogue and policy on vision-related issues and disabilities.
The CVC-Congressional Vision Caucus mission is to raise awareness about the increasing number of Americans at risk for age-related diseases. It provides understanding of the personal risk of vision loss and the importance of taking steps to protect eyesight.
Your company campaign can be sponsoring a sporting event, for example or, dedicate a page in memory of someone. In lieu of a birthday gift, ask your family and friends to donate to the organization. Get your local school(s) involved in a ‘Saving for Sight Day’ or something similar. Have the students, math classes and the entire school sponsor a fundraiser. You may join a current campaign already in progress through the Prevent Blindness.org as well.
Whatever organization you choose to support, it is a good way to bring awareness of your business in a positive way and build relationships with your clients and their families.
New! Ultra Tech Frames Promotion
Did you know you can order your frames from Icare Labs? It's simple and can save you time and money on shipping.
Now, instead of sending your frames to us, you can simply select the frames from our online ordering portal, and we will create and send your complete eyeglass order to you. This saves the time and expense of shipping your frames to us.
Our frame selection will be expanding, too! We've recently added twelve new styles from Ultra Tech. These frames are made from the highest quality Ultem™, a resin that is heat and flame resistant. Ultem was originally created for applications in the aerospace industry, and offers excellent stability of physical and mechanical properties at extreme temperatures, outstanding strength retention, strong dimensional stability, high resistance to stress cracking, and inherent flame resistance, all while being extremely light weight compared to other resins and 50% lighter than metal frames. There are many styles and colors to choose from.
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER
From now until August 31, 2015, we are offering the Ultra Tech frames at just $39.99 each. That's a savings of $10. And, we are so sure your patients will love these frames, we will buy back any unsold frames. You can't lose with a great offer like this.
Hurry! Offer ends August 31st!
IcareLabs NEW ACCOUNT Promotion
If you're not already an IcareLabs customer, it's a great time to try us! We're so sure you'll love being an Icare customer, we'll give you a $50 Amazon Gift Card just for opening your account - and another $50 Amazon Gift Card when you place your first order. Our hope is you'll discover why so many others are turning to IcareLabs for our great quality, quick turnaround-time and low prices.
