According to a new study, VSP® Vision Care, the nation's largest eyecare-benefits provider, helps save its customers nearly $3 billion annually on healthcare costs associated with the treatment of chronic diseases detectable via an eye examination. 

The study was undertaken by Human Capital Management Services Inc. (HCMS) on behalf of VSP and showed that VSP client companies are realizing these savings for the early detection of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, in the first year alone, directly related to health plan, disability and employee termination costs.

HCMS’s study analyzed these costs for five major U.S. corporations—with a total of 90,000 employees—and found that the early disease detection that VSP Vision Care’s regular comprehensive eye exams offer saved companies and their employees money and valuable time.  Specifically, companies saved nearly $2,900 annually on medical related costs for each employee with diabetes, when the disease was detected early.

“Vision benefits are often seen as a noncore healthcare service, but the HCMS data show vision-care benefits help lower corporate providers’ long-term healthcare liabilities, with early detection of chronic diseases for employees,” said Rob Lynch, CEO of VSP.  “Study data on the VSP Eye Health Management Program® found that every dollar spent on VSP exam services resulted in a 94-cent recuperation of medical-related costs that could be avoided.”

When the findings of the HCMS study are applied to the past three years for each of the five VSP Vision Care corporate clients who participated in the study, the results show that nearly 2,000 members received early treatment for diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension as a result of their annual eye exams.  During that time, each of the five companies realized cost savings of at least $204,000 and as much as $968,000.

Of the 3.6 million VSP Vision Care members living with diabetes and hypertension who had an eye exam last year, more than 25% received early treatment for their chronic disease as a result of visiting their VSP eye doctor, according to the HCMS study.

When the findings of the study are applied to VSP’s entire membership of 55 million over a one-year period, the results show that:

* Of 1,457,500 people with diabetes, 20% (291,500) received early treatment as a result of their eye exam; and,

* Of 2,186,250 people with hypertension, 30% (655,875) received early treatment as a result of their eye exam.

HCMS data also showed that large VSP clients such as the U.S. Federal Government, which includes more than eight million employees, dependents and retirees, could save nearly $423 million annually in potential cost avoidance because of early detection through VSP’s Eye Health Management Program®.   “The research we've conducted, and translated into cost savings for companies, could help improve company financials for years to come," Lynch said.

About the study: Human Capital Management Services Group (HCMS), a national healthcare and workplace-productivity consulting firm, matched medical-condition data for 90,000 members covered by VSP Vision Care spanning two years to medical and pharmacy data obtained from the clients’ medical and drug carriers.  HCMS compared chronic patients who were first identified by VSP Vision Care against those who entered the healthcare system via traditional means.  The study included five large commercial clients with a total of 90,000 members.  Patient privacy was maintained throughout the process.