Want to jump straight to the answer? VSP Vision Insurance is one of the most popular vision coverage providers in the nation. Learn more here.
Looking for the best vision insurance in Idaho? If you want to have full insurance coverage for all of your health needs, its smart to consider vision insurance. And affordable vision insurance coverage may not already be included with your health insurance plan.
Start with Benzinga’s guide to the best vision insurance in Idaho to find a policy today.
An Overview of Vision Insurance in Idaho
It’s important to understand exactly what vision insurance is and what it can offer. Vision insurance is an insurance product that offers coverage for your basic vision care. Like many health insurance plans, vision insurance plans can vary widely between insurance companies.
Insurance companies may also offer a few different plan options that offer different levels of coverage. Most vision insurance plans offer coverage for routine eye exams and exams for prescriptions. Plans may also offer coverage for glasses frames, glasses lenses, contacts, diagnostic testing and treatment.
Although your eye health is an important part of your overall health, vision insurance isn’t always included with health insurance plans. If you look at plans within Idaho’s Marketplace, you should be aware that these health insurance plans are held to minimum requirements to cover what is defined as 10 essential health benefits.
These benefits include pregnancy and maternity care, emergency services and prescription drug coverage. For children, the requirements are different. Idaho’s Marketplace health insurance plans are required to offer vision coverage for children.
Private health insurance plans may also offer free vision screening services for children. When you review your health insurance plan’s coverage, you’ll want to look for the pediatric vision services to see what coverage is included for children.
While vision insurance is not a minimum requirement, some health insurance plans in the Marketplace may offer some vision coverage benefits for adults. A health insurance plan purchased elsewhere or through your employer may also have some vision coverage. If your health insurance plan doesn’t include vision coverage or if you want to add additional coverage, that’s when it’s time to consider purchasing an individual vision plan.
Idaho Average Cost of Vision Insurance
When you consider the cost of vision insurance, it’s important to understand all of the aspects of a plan. There are several terms you’ll want to pay attention to if you want to get a full picture of how much your vision services may cost you with a certain vision insurance plan.
These terms include:
Premium. When you see an amount per month connected to your plan, this is the premium. It is otherwise known as the cost of your plan. This amount is what you will need to pay for your vision insurance coverage each month to keep your plan active. Most plans are offered on a yearly basis.
Deductible. The plan’s deductible can also tell you a lot about the total cost of your plan. The deductible is the amount of money that you need to pay out-of-pocket for covered services before your insurance company will pay for these services.
Copayments. After you’ve met the deductible of your plan, you may need to make copayments for your covered services. You may also see this called a copay on your plan. The copayments or copay for your services are a set amount that you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket. Your insurance company will pay the rest of the bill for covered services.
Out-of-pocket. You’ll probably see this phrase in many places when you review a vision insurance plan. Out-of-pocket means that you’ll be paying for that cost directly to the provider of your vision services, such as an eye doctor or a company that sells glasses or contacts. You’ll need to pay the required out-of-pocket costs with your vision insurance plan, even if you’ve been paying your premium.
To give you an idea of what the actual cost for your vision insurance may be, here’s an example. VSP is a vision insurance company that offers affordable insurance plans, starting as low as $13 per month. To understand whether the cost is worth it, here’s a look at some average costs for vision services in Idaho:
| The average cost of an eye exam in Idaho | $174.60 |
| The average cost of glasses frames (not including glasses lenses) | $203 or more |
| The out-of-pocket cost of vision care if you don’t have vision insurance | $461 |
| The amount you could save per year with vision insurance coverage | $106 |
Calculated using the VSP Savings Calculator
When is Vision Insurance Worth it?
Even with the cost savings of having vision insurance, it’s still another bill that you need to pay each month. So is it worth getting vision insurance in the 1st place?
Here are a few things to consider if you’re unsure whether or not vision insurance is worth it for you or your family:
- Does your family have a history of vision issues or health conditions that affect their eyes?
- Do you currently have vision issues that need correction?
- How many times per year do you purchase new glasses frames, glasses lenses or contact lenses?
- What’s the cost of the plan you’re considering, and how much will it cover?
Eye exams can sometimes get overlooked. If you’re already getting annual physical exams with your primary care doctor, it may seem unnecessary to see another doctor for something so specific.
However, annual eye exams can be an important part of taking care of your overall health. During annual eye exams, eye doctors may detect signs of serious health conditions in the early stages. If a condition is detected, you may be able to seek treatment before it advances. Please note you should always coordinate with your primary care doctor for the best course of treatment.
Conditions eye doctors may be able to see signs of include:
- Diabetes
- Glaucoma
- High cholesterol
- Macular degeneration
- Multiple sclerosis
- Risks of other serious health conditions such as heart disease
Another thing to take into consideration is your Medicare eligibility and the vision benefits covered by Medicare. Original Medicare does not offer coverage for eye exams, eyeglasses or contact lenses. If you have Original Medicare and want to receive coverage for these vision benefits, you may want to consider purchasing a vision insurance plan.
While it doesn’t offer basic vision benefits, Medicare Part B may offer coverage for eye exams, diagnostic tests and treatment for conditions such as diabetes and age-related macular degeneration. If you’re at high risk for glaucoma, Medicare Part B may also cover your annual glaucoma tests.
Depending on your vision and the benefits you need, purchasing a vision insurance plan may be worth it to help you save money.
The Best Vision Insurance in Idaho
When it comes to choosing a vision insurance plan, you’ll want to consider those offered by the best vision insurance providers available in your area. In Idaho, you have several great options to fit almost any situation.
- Top-rated vision insurance
Best Overall: VSP
VSP is known as 1 of the best vision insurance providers because it offers a wide range of affordable coverage options. Its vision insurance coverage includes a large network of participating eye doctors and practices.
VSP also has a Premier Program, which in-network doctors can elect to participate in to offer VSP members additional benefits. Participating Premier Program practices will give you the personalized attention you want. They also carry the latest technology available for eye care.
VSP members also have access to Exclusive Member Extras. These extras give members the opportunity to save more than $3,000 through its offers from leading industry brands. Savings opportunities through this program include savings on lens enhancements, rebates on contacts from popular brands and more.
- Medicare Advantage Plans
Best for Value: Humana
Humana offers vision insurance plans that are affordable and easy-to-understand. You may be able to get a vision insurance plan from Humana with no deductible, lowering your out-of-pocket costs right from the beginning.
Humana plans cover annual eye exams and only require a copay as low as $15 for a covered exam. As a Humana member, you can also benefit from 100% coverage for eyeglass lenses and contact lenses if you need them to correct your vision. Your plan may also include an allowance for eyeglass frames every 12 to 24 months.
- Members-only savings
Best for Families: EyeMed
EyeMed offers specific plans tailored to meet the needs of its customers. There are 3 levels of plans you can purchase from this insurance provider, and each plan offers more than the last.
The EyeMed Bright plan offers coverage for yourself as the policyholder and your family. This plan offers coverage for a comprehensive eye exam as well as glasses lenses. It also comes with a covered allowance for glasses frames and contact lenses. EyeMed Bright family vision plans start at $30 per month.
- Submiting and tracking claims
Best for Medicare Coverage: Anthem
When it comes to vision insurance and Medicare, it’s a good idea to work with an insurance provider that is already familiar with Medicare plans. Anthem offers Medicare plans that include vision coverage, as well as supplemental vision coverage that can be added onto a Medicare plan.
The plans that include vision coverage are called Medicare Advantage plans (Part C of Medicare) and Medicare Supplement plans. These plans may include low-or-no copays for vision exams, eyeglasses, lenses and contacts. The supplemental vision plans offered by Anthem can add on even more vision coverage.
How to Get Vision Insurance
If you think vision insurance might be right for you, then it’s time to get a quote. Getting a quote is a fast and easy way to receive offers from vision insurance companies.
You can then compare the plans that are available to you to see which offers the best coverage for your needs. Quotes also allow you to compare the prices of each vision insurance plan so you find the best policy for you today.
About Ashley Hart
Ashley Hart is a personal finance writer passionate about helping people feel empowered to take control of their finances. She has more than eight years of writing experience, focused on insurance.