eyecareplans.co.uk
corporate eyecare
OPTICIAN’S GUIDE TO ASE CORPORATE EYECARE
ABOUT US ASE Corporate Eyecare has 20 years’ experience of providing specialist corporate eyecare services to blue chip organisations from both the public and private sectors. Using intelligent solutions we have built up a reputation for a service that is second to none. Our knowledge of employer requirements, the optical profession and the legislation affecting corporate eyecare has enabled us to establish the most comprehensive corporate eyecare programme available today. UK employers are required under legislation to provide eyecare to several areas of the workforce. To achieve this, ASE works closely with 2,200 affiliated optical practices. These practices are registered with us to accept EyecarePlans, which are our method of delivering a corporate eyecare service. To ensure we continue to offer a robust and flexible service to our clients’ thousands of employees we are constantly developing our relationship with opticians so that we may continue to offer the highest level of service to the corporate sector.
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU ASE employ a dedicated team of professionals to ensure that you: • • • • • • Can register as one of our affiliated opticians FREE of charge Receive support in all aspects of administering our EyecarePlans Are updated with all legislative changes that affect UK employers and their employees Are sent an automated payment with detailed remittance one month from a patient’s initial visit Have access to corporate clients who would normally only work with larger optical chains Have additional revenue opportunities from our upgrade policy for Lens and Frames (See Revenue Opportunities) “We hope that you find this information booklet useful. We value the relationship with our affiliated opticians; this is a true network of dedicated practices offering the high level of service demanded by the corporate sector.” Jonathan Kent Managing Director
If you have any comments or feedback please contact: jonathan.kent@eyecareplans.co.uk
WHY AFFILIATE? UK employers are required under legislation to provide vocational corporate eyecare. Although some are happy to simply reimburse their employees on production of a valid receipt/certificate, an increasing amount of employers, particularly with more than 500 employees, require a robust national arrangement to guarantee uniformity and equality of service and price for all qualifying employees. The large optical chains are able to provide a national arrangement, restricted by the location of their practices. However, independents and smaller chains are able to work together, to form a national group offering coverage with greater scope than even the largest UK optical company. The obvious advantages are a wider choice for the patient and truly national coverage for the employer. Legislation dictates that where the employer is funding eyecare, they have the right to dictate the optical practice which must be used by the employee. As large UK optical chains secure new corporate accounts, so the employees of that company become tied to that particular optical firm. This will result in thousands of UK employees having little or no choice about where their corporate eyecare is conducted. By registering with ASE Corporate Eyecare, you will join 2,200 UK optical practices that currently welcome corporate work from ASE, giving employees the widest choice possible. Some of our current clients include:
MEETING CLIENT NEEDS The following table further highlights how client needs are best served by ASE through our network of independent optical practices:
Employers Require: A national portfolio of optical practices EyecarePlans Provide: A directory of affiliated optical practices Clear and concise EyecarePlan issued specifically for each patient in line with their employer’s eyecare policy, with a dedicated support team to assist the local practice. A published directory of local optical practices, made available to client’s employees. The EyecarePlans team supports both the practice and the employee through our helpline. A dedicated support team to assist the practice – from marketing to account queries. Assured payment one month in arrears. Prompt assistance is given by our account support team by phone or in writing.
Compliance to legislation
A single contact point for the employee
A single point of contact for opticians
A streamlined invoicing system ensuring prompt payment to optical practices
REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES • • By registering to accept EyecarePlans you will join the independent network of optical practices which combine to provide a national network, gaining access to the larger corporate accounts. Your practice details are automatically entered onto our directory of “Affiliated Optical Practices” and are also available to view on all our clients’ intranet sites. Additionally your practice will be plotted by location and will be mapped as accepting EyecarePlans on all searches for practices in your specific area. Additional revenue opportunities are available through private business e.g. the families of our client’s employees. As well as the professional fees agreed, there is also the additional opportunity for increased income when the patient upgrades their spectacles: Frames: Should an employee wish to ‘upgrade’ their frame from the free EyecarePlans’ frames, they can do so by purchasing a frame privately from your practice, which should then be sent to us for glazing. NB. The patient must pay the full cost of this frame to your practice and the full subsidy is applied to the lenses. We pay a frame dispensing fee to when you dispense an EyecarePlan or patient’s own frame. Lenses: Patients are normally entitled to a Rodenstock CR39 single vision, or D28 bifocal or basic Progressiv Start II varifocal lenses. Should they wish to upgrade their lenses they may do so ONLY by paying EyecarePlans directly for the additional subsidised cost. (See the Step-by-Step guide for further information) NB. Where upgraded lenses are dispensed the practice will automatically be paid an additional fee (plus all standard fees), which is 25% of the upgrade value received.
• •
THE EYECAREPLAN RANGE
EyecarePlan
Eye and Eyesight Test
Spectacles
Key Features
VDU EyecarePlan
Yes
Yes
In compliance with H&S (DSE Reg 1992 and amended 2002).
Vocational EyecarePlan
Yes
Yes
Similar to the VDU EyecarePlan; permits employer to state their reason for providing spectacles
Vocational Spectacle EyecarePlan
No
Yes
Similar to the VDU EyecarePlan; permits employer to state their reason for providing spectacles
Safety EyecarePlan
Yes
Yes
This plan ensures that prescription safety spectacles are supplied ensuring employers compliance with H&S Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
Safety Spectacle EyecarePlan
No
Yes
This plan ensures that prescription safety spectacles are supplied ensuring employers compliance with H&S Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
Occupational EyecarePlan
Yes
Yes
Permits the employer to state their specific spectacle type i.e. optical insert to fit fire fighters breathing apparatus
Occupational Spectacle EyecarePlan
No
Yes
Permits the employer to state their specific spectacle type i.e. optical insert to fit fire fighters breathing apparatus
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Step 1: Step 2: Client’s employee requires an eye and eyesight test Employee applies for an EyecarePlan (see the attached example). The plan is specific to each client and as such the plan issued will clearly state the patient’s entitlement e.g. some employers will only permit spectacles if required specifically for VDU use. Also, EyecarePlan Express is due to be launched shortly allowing are client’s employees to locally self-print their eyecare requests – more information coming soon. Employee selects and books appointment with an affiliated optical practice from the list included with their plan or by searching on their company intranet site. If Vocational Spectacles not required After completing an eye and eyesight test, the optometrist returns the signed and completed EyecarePlan, having clearly stated in the “Declaration of Results” when a retest is recommended, to ASE EyecarePlans for the reimbursement of charges. An invoice is NOT required as the returned plan is sufficient to guarantee payment one month in arrears. If Vocational/Safety Spectacles required? If vocational spectacles are required, in-line with the employer’s specific eye care policy (as referred to in the EyecarePlan), the employee may choose to: • select from the free frames offered, • reglaze their existing frames, or • purchase a new frame from your practice. NB. Safety spectacles must be selected from the Safety Collection as detailed on the backpage of the plan. In all cases if your optical practice does not stock a set of ASE sample frames then individual frames can be requested on a “sale or return” basis. Please complete the request for a sample set on the registration document or, alternatively, if further information is required, please call the Customer Service Team. Step 5: Having conducted an eye and eyesight test and dispensed the appropriate spectacles the optician returns the completed EyecarePlan to ASE for processing and manufacturing through the highly acclaimed lens specialist, Rodenstock. Again, an invoice is NOT required as a correctly completed EyecarePlan will be sufficient information to ensure all applicable fees are paid to the optical practice. See the following table outlining fees. NB. The employee may also choose to upgrade the lenses at an additional cost payable by themselves to ASE Corporate Eyecare. Prices are available on request. See Revenue Opportunities for how this will result in additional fees payable to the optical practice. Step 6: Finally the spectacles are quality controlled and sent with case and micro-fibre cloth to the dispensing optician via courier for the final fitting service.
Step 3:
Step 4:
Please call the Customer Service Team for any support or further information: 0844 800 4028
A SAMPLE EYECAREPLAN
FEE STRUCTURE A key point for our clients is that we offer an equal and uniform service to all employees regardless of geographical location. To adhere to this and simplify our process policy we standardise our fees. These breakdown and cover: • • • • Eye and eyesight test fee Single vision frame dispensing fee Multifocal frame dispensing fee, and Lens upgrade requested by employee (percentage of upgrade)
No invoice is required for us to process your payment - HM Customs and Excise recognise the EyecarePlan as a suitable method of automated invoice between us. All fees are calculated from the responses you make to us on the EyecarePlan. All fees are payable by automated cheque or BACS one month in arrears. Subject to a correctly completed EyecarePlan being returned to us i.e. a plan received in February will be settled at the end of March. A detailed remittance advice will accompany every cheque and will detail: • • • • Order number Patient name Date of birth A breakdown of the amounts per patient
All prices are subject to change. Written notification will be given of any changes. For our current prices, please contact us and ask for a Registration Pack on 0800 400 4028.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How do I get sample frames and what are the benefits? If you require a frame for measuring purposes, or to discuss with a patient, these are available simply by contacting us. We do recommend that optical practices should hold a set of sample frames. This is also not only beneficial to your patient but also speeds up the dispensing process. A complete dispensing set of 9 frames, a sample case and cloth in a boxed presentation set is available at a nominal fee of £45.00 inc VAT. Should you like to request a set, please complete the section on the Optician Registration Form. I do not wish to purchase a set of sample frames, however my patient would like to view an ASE frame? Please contact the Customer Service Team who will be happy to dispatch a frame to your practice on a “sale or return” basis. However it is worth noting that our client’s employees have advised us that when selecting an optical practice their preference is to visit a practice where the entire range can be viewed. One of the key benefits of this is that all decisions regarding a suitable frame can be made at one appointment. What is a frame dispensing fee? A frame dispensing fee is payable when an optician dispenses either an ASE or the patient’s own frame. It is not payable, however, when the patient purchases a frame direct from the optical practice. How do local employers know I accept EyecarePlans? Your full details are listed on our published online directory of affiliated optical practices, accessed through our clients’ intranet sites. When applying for eyecare, employees may conduct locationspecific searches – from village to county nationwide, and these lists may feature on their EyecarePlan with contact details. Why do I have to send all glazing work to ASE EyecarePlans? Our clients insist that all their employees are treated equally and therefore receive the same entitlement. Using one company to glaze all spectacles ensures uniformity as well as maintaining the stringent quality control that our clients expect.
Should you require any further information please call the Customer Service Team: 0844 800 4028
ASE Corporate Eyecare Ltd Quarry Farm, Bodiam East Sussex, TN32 5RA Telephone 0844 800 4028 Fax 01580 830085 www.eyecareplans.co.uk enquiries@eyecareplans.co.uk Registered office: 7 Linden Chase, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8HH. Registered number 3425183