Best Cheap PA Vision Insurance

There are 12.8 million people in the Keystone state. Here’s your chance to lock your eyes on Benzinga’s guide to the best vision insurance in Pennsylvania.

Quick Look: The Best PA Vision Insurance

• Top-Rated Vision Insurance: VSP Vision – See $13 Plans
• Best for Members-Only Savings: EyeMed
• Best for a Large Suite of Products: UnitedHealthcare
• Humana

The Best PA Vision Insurance

How do you decide which provider is best for you? Check with your family members to see whether they need an exam or eyewear in the next 12 months and then you’ll know where to slot your choice. If you live alone, then that’s effortless homework.

1. VSP

VSP is a not-for-profit that’s existed since 1955 for the sake of its members. Maybe that’s why VSP has a satisfaction rate of over 94%.

You can expect a $15 copay per eye exam on either 1 of VSP’s top 3 plans.  Pennsylvanians will enjoy the highest frame allowance from our search — $230 on the Easy Options Plan. Choose brands like Columbia, Lacoste, Nike and other featured frame brands for even higher savings.

Once you have frames, it’s time to customize those lenses. VSP gives you upfront pricing. You can choose single, bifocal or trifocal lenses for a $25 copay. Popular variations like tinted, anti-glare and UV protection are available for less than $18 each.

VSP has the largest independent doctor network in the country. Exclusive member extras include savings on laser corrective surgery. And if you want 2 pairs of glasses, you can save 20% on a second pair.

There are monthly installments for every household:

• $8 individual plans
• $15 2-person plans
• $21 family plans

2. EyeMed

EyeMed serves 46 million people nationwide and helps Pennsylvanians save on vision expenses.

Here’s what you can expect:

• The Healthy plan boasts a $0 copay on the exam but gives no allowance for frames or contacts. It’s merely a 35% discount on frames.
• The Bold plan (middle-tier package) offers $130 off the price of those contacts or frames.
• The Bright plan is EyeMed’s top choice with a $200 allowance.
• Basic lens options are free, but if you go a step beyond to progressives or light-to-dark tinting, you’ll only get a 30% price break.
• EyeMed partners with 44,000 providers in the U.S.
• You can cut 15% if you’re seeking laser correction.
• The levels offer a 5% savings if you pay your annual premium in full.

3. UnitedHealthcare

United Healthcare has been around for 42 years and delivers vision coverage under its Golden Rule Insurance Company. United Healthcare’s 2 plans give you an eye exam for a $10 bill. You can get a $150 frame allowance on the 2 choices. Select contact lenses are $0 out of pocket. Another $10 gets you single, bifocal or trifocal lenses.

Pick from 80,000 providers in the network. Savings for laser correction are available, but prices are provider-specific.

Here are the monthly plan breakdowns:

Plan A

• Starts at $11 with $7 for each added person.
• You can opt for glasses or contacts.

Plan B

• Starts at $15 with $10 for each added person.
• You can opt for both glasses and contacts.

4. Humana

Humana has 13 million customers and partners with EyeMed in Pennsylvania. Seniors on Medicare Advantage may have heard of Humana because it dominates that market.

Humana offers just 1 plan and wants you to bundle with 1 of its 5 dental offerings — learn more about dental insurance.

Here’s a quick summary: 

• Yearly exams are a $15 copay.
• You’ll receive a $150 frame allowance and subtract 20% more on balances above that amount.
• $25 gets you standard plastic lenses with either single focus, bifocal or trifocal customization.
• Laser discounts are 15%.
• Prices start at $13 per person.

An Overview of PA Vision Insurance

Most Pennsylvania residents get their health insurance from either their jobs or the U.S. government. Vision insurance supplements these plans. An employer may only implement a single choice and many federal or state programs offer nothing at all.

Our search turned up 4 different companies ready to serve statewide. Prices run from $5 for low-cost single person plans to $90 for top-tier family plans.

How Does Vision Coverage Work?

Vision insurance grants great savings on eyewear, exams and other linked services. You get these benefits for handing the doctor your copay. A copay is a small, fixed amount required by the insurance company. The insurance company foots the rest of the bill. Unlike traditional health insurance, there’s no deductible, which is an amount (it’s usually several hundred or thousands of dollars) that you must pay before your insurance kicks in.

Here are a few things to know if you’re relying on government help:

• The COMPASS website determines eligibility for Pennsylvania Medicaid.
• Medicaid supplies 2 visits to an optometrist per year. 
• Medicare does not cover routine eye exams or products.  
• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) covers your child’s vision-related needs if you qualify.

What to Look for in the Best Vision Insurance Companies

You’ll want to lock your focus on a few features that will ultimately help you save the most money. Make sure you do you research and ask about the following:

• Affordable annual exams
• Exceptional eyewear allowance
• Lens enhancements like progressives and scratch-resistance
• Vast provider network
• Laser surgery discounts
• Personalized purchase plans

Affordable Annual Exams  

Doctors recommend yearly vision check-ups to reduce eye strain and keep prescriptions correct, especially because of the all-consuming screen time we face in our society — both adults and children get a lot of it daily.

Your children also may play sports or take part in hobbies or activities that require eye-related motor skills. Kids’ eyes continue to grow until they become teenagers. As you can see, there’s more than 1 reason to pack in the whole family on your trip to the eye doctor.

Exceptional Eyewear Allowance

How much will your new frames or contacts cost? It varies, but here’s how it works on a basic level: Let’s say you pick $275 Prada frames and the insurance company gives you a $200 allowance. That means those high-fashion frames could be yours for just $75. 

Lens Enhancements 

Lenses can be the most expensive part of your purchase. What should you look for?

Your lenses come in single focus, bifocals or trifocals. Then there’s anti-glare. You could upgrade to light-to-dark tinting, which automatically adjusts to the level of light to protect you from the sun and other sources. Progressives are the jack of all trades for focus. They fit all distances in one lens — near for reading, intermediate for computer work and far for driving.

Vast Provider Network 

Have you been going to the same eye doctor for years? If so, your first step is to check the list.

What list? Vision insurance works on a preferred provider organization (PPO). That means that doctors on the list have a relationship with the insurance companies and their counterparts off the list do not.

It’s flexible because you can pick any doctor. Just prepare to pay as much as double if you want an out-of-network doctor or off-the-list provider.

Laser Surgery Discounts

LASIK or PRK are the 2 most popular laser eye correction procedures. You may want to factor the deductions you can receive on these services. Ballpark pricing for these options can be over $3,000 per eye. The discounts we uncovered are between 5% and 15% on average. The savings alone could offset the price of your yearly premium.

Personalized Purchase Plans 

Someone in your household may need glasses and contacts or multiple pairs of glasses. You should be able to clear 20% to 40% off the sticker price on that 2nd pair on a good discount program from the insurer.

You can save more by adding dependents to your coverage and there are savings for those who prefer to pay in full. The people who pocket the most will buy new frames or contact lenses and get their yearly exams, and you can expect the best insurance companies to tailor to your wallet and household.

Get the Best PA Vision Insurance

Let’s make it all easier with an at-glance cost comparison between the four providers we chose.

We recommend VSP for residents of the Keystone State because of its high annual average savings starting at $198. VSP boasts a host of features that help you select the perfect fit for your family and finances.

For more insurance information, check out our guide to the best vision insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read also: BEST CHEAP PENNSYLVANIA (PA) DENTAL INSURANCE