As a valued business partner, EyeMed will continue to provide you updated information regarding our response to COVID-19. As with all managed care organizations, EyeMed is required to follow COVID-19 guidance and protocols provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health and insurance departments.
Yes. Our business continuity plan (BCP) team is meeting two times daily, including weekends. We are continuously monitoring federal, state and local mandates, new information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and updates from Departments of Insurance (DOI) and Commissioners of Insurance.
Yes. We have transitioned all essential and non-essential functions, and all are operating effectively.
Yes. EyeMed is committed to maintaining service and helping you manage through these challenging times. EyeMed will follow all COVID-19 guidance and protocols provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health departments. We recommend members follow CDC guidelines regarding routine eye exams, including postponing routine visits. However, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has determined optometry to be an essential service. As a result, circumstances may arise that make it necessary for members to receive new glasses, lenses or contact lenses.
Please direct members to www.eyemed.com/en-us/coronavirus to review their options.
Yes. To help make it easier for you to answer employee questions, all Member FAQs are conveniently located at https://eyemed.com/en-us/coronavirus. Please feel free to direct members here or to our Customer Care Center at 1.866.933.3633 (or your group-specific number on your ID card).
Yes. Member may visit https://eyemed.com/en-us/coronavirus-eyehealth.
EyeMed has a full set of Member FAQs available at https://eyemed.com/en-us/coronavirus. This will help answer many of the questions we’ve received from members such as whether they can continue to use their benefits, contacting providers, use of online benefits and more. In addition, this site will provide guidance on when and how it is recommended to utilize their benefits during this crisis.
Of course, if they prefer to talk with us directly, we’re here to help. Members have three options for support: Customer Care Center is available during normal business hours at 1.866.939.3633 (or their client-specific phone number on their ID card); our Customer Care Center can direct the member to a nearby in-network provider, as well as help determine their potentially amended hours of operation; and Members also have 24/7 service via eyemed.com and our mobile app (available on both iPhone and Android).
While the CDC is recommending postponing routine eye exams, CISA has identified optometry as an essential service. Circumstances may require members to receive new glasses, lenses, or contact lenses. EyeMed is continuously working to ensure our core network includes access for members to receive essential services, as well as comply with all applicable federal, state, and local mandates.
Yes. You should expect that numerous provider offices will be impacted due to federal, state and local restrictions, staffing, safety and other conditions. We highly recommend that EyeMed members call their provider directly to verify modified location hours or closing. We have 24-hour access to provider contact information via our provider locator on EyeMed.com or our mobile app (available on iPhone and Android). Members may also call our Customer Care Center directly at 1.866.939.3633 (or your group-specific number on your ID card).
EyeMed is actively working with our in-network providers to capture any location closings and amended hours of operation. We will update our Provider Locator twice daily and provide our Customer Care Center with the most up-to-date information as it is shared by in-network providers. During this time, we encourage members to reach out directly to their provider. If they need provider contact information, they can obtain it using our provider locator on eyemed.com or our mobile app (available on iPhone and Android). Or, they can also call our Customer Care Center directly at 1.866.939.3633 (or your group-specific number on your ID card).
No. We are happy to accommodate this for you; as ultimately, this is a client decision. Your insurance policy does not require employees to satisfy a waiting period. Benefits are applied consistent with waiting periods implemented by the employer. If you choose to waive the waiting period for rehired employees, we are happy to honor the request and work with you to accommodate any changes. Please consult with your account manager regarding your evolving staffing strategies we’re in the best position to review options and support you.
Employers with employees impacted by layoffs would be subject to rules and regulations related to terminations, including potentially triggering a COBRA event. Employers may choose to subsidize COBRA for terminated employees. One of the key considerations for rehired employees is whether they will be required to complete a new waiting period if they are rehired. EyeMed’s current policy does not require employees to satisfy a waiting period. EyeMed benefits are applied consistent with waiting periods implemented by the employer. Employers can choose to waive the waiting period for rehired employees.
Yes. If you plan to treat furloughed employees as active for benefit purposes, we can accommodate this decision. Your insurance policy does not have specific requirements on hours worked. As a result, we are willing to allow the member to remain covered under the vision plan, even if they are not actively working, as long as premium is being paid.
Yes. EyeMed members have multiple options to order prescription eyewear and contact lenses online using their benefits. Online sites will require a valid prescription. This may be an ideal solution to practice social distancing and mitigate outdoor risk. Online, in-network options include: Glasses.com, ContactsDirect, Ray-Ban.com, LensCrafters.com, and TargetOptical.com. Under the circumstances, many of these online providers are offering free, expedited shipping and no-cost returns for extra convenience. *Members should check with online providers to verify offers.
No in-home solutions are available for eye exams. At this point in time, telehealth exams for eye health still require an office visit and are available in very few locations.
Potentially. While telemedicine services are not available for annual eye exams covered under your EyeMed benefits, federal mandates have relaxed restrictions on select telemedicine services for urgent or emergency care that may be covered under your medical plan benefits. For clarity, most vision benefits (such as EyeMed) are designed to cover routine care such as annual eye exams and the purchase of new frames, lenses, and contact lenses. Medical insurance typically includes provisions for situations where there is a medical sign, medical symptom, or ongoing care for a medical condition, as well as medical eye injuries due to an accident or injury.
Though telemedicine services are most likely covered under your medical plan, EyeMed reached out to our providers to understand their telemedicine capabilities. We’ve provided a PDF of providers we are aware have telemedicine capabilities; however, they may not all be in-network with your medical plan. Before scheduling services, our recommendation is to encourage employees to check any providers listed and verify they participate in your medical plan using the provider list available through your medical carrier.
PROVIDERS OPEN FOR EMERGENCY TELEMEDICINE SERVICES
COVID-19 will make each of our lives more challenging. Members have three options for support: Customer Care Center is available during normal business hours at 1.866.939.3633 (or their client-specific phone number on their ID card); our Customer Care Center can direct the member to a nearby in-network provider, as well as help determine their potentially amended hours of operation; and Members also have 24/7 service via eyemed.com and our mobile app (available on both iPhone and Android).