MetLife to administer OPERS vision plan
Current enrollees can be automatically enrolled at beginning of 2023
By Michael Pramik, Ohio Public Employees Retirement System
Sept. 22, 2022 – Effective Jan. 1, the OPERS Vision Plan will be administered by MetLife, the same provider that administers the OPERS Dental Plan. With just a single provider for both the OPERS Dental and Vision plans, OPERS retirees will have a single, dedicated phone number and access to their coverage information within a single website and online account.
MetLife will offer the Superior Vision network, which is one of the largest, most diverse networks of licensed eye care professionals featuring a mix of independent and retail providers. You’ll have a wide variety of in-network providers to choose from nationwide, including all the top 50 major retailers, such as America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Costco Optical, Eyeglass World, Lens Crafters, Pearle Vision, Target Optical, Vision Works, Walmart and more.
If you are currently enrolled in the OPERS vision plan and want to continue your same coverage, you will be automatically enrolled in the vision plan provided by MetLife. If you are not currently enrolled, or are interested in selecting a different coverage option, make sure you carefully review your open enrollment materials for coverage and premium information. Materials will be mailed in early October.
Meanwhile, effective Oct. 1, if you’d like to view and/or update your automatic reimbursement preference for the OPERS vision and dental plans, you can do so by logging into your Via Benefits account at marketplace.viabenefits.com/opers and selecting “View Accounts” under the Funds & Reimbursement section.
You also can update those preferences by contacting Via Benefits at 1-844-287-9945. OPERS no longer will be able to make changes to your auto-reimbursement preferences for dental and/or vision coverage.
Michael Pramik
Michael Pramik is communication strategist for the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and editor of the PERSpective blog. As an experienced business journalist, he clarifies complex pension policies and helps members make smart choices to secure their retirement.
This plan is very slanted towards the “big box” providers. My Dr was not included.
I’d suggest sending out an email reminding people to be sure to check that their doctor is on the provider list, especially if he/she is in private practice. And not just MetLife – you need to check the “Superior Vision” specifically. And obviously check with their doctor.
This is the first time in 20 years that I won’t be getting vision with OPERS. You should provide an alternative – the EyeMed. (VSP is too expensive)
i had the same problem.
my eye dr is not in network. after excellent eye care I now need to shop around for a new unknown dr.
My eye Dr. is also not on this new plan. My guess is that this change to MetLife Vision will help MetLife, OPERS, but not the members. Seems to be the trend.
John, while it is open enrollment you may contact Via Benefits to explore other vision plans that may better meet your needs. Thank you, OPERS
It’s unfortunate that you choose a poor-quality insurance for your retirees. Why not Metlife PPO or VisionAccess? I have very few options to go to an actual doctor’s office near me. So, yes, I can go through Marketplace and pay more for my vision needs. Now that my insurance through Marketplace is going up over $200 month, I’ll have to change insurance and doctors that I’ve had for years. And, I still haven’t determined the benefit of Via Benefits. Frustrating.
My doctor is not in this plan. Agreed, this is helping MetLife and OPERS, not retirees.
My frustration is the late notice of the change!
The impact effects may who are very pleased with current provider who now will need ro find another provider or different coverage. Neither easy.
I am not going to change the ophthalmologist that I have been with for almost 20 yrs & am horrified to discover that my vision plan through opers no longer covers him . Who is benefiting from this change , certainly not the retirees since it appears it’s “ use our vision group or you are out of luck “
I have this eye insurance through OPERS. Aetna wasn’t the best but it was OK. This new eye insurance is almost worthless. It’s no help to those of us who are retired. I know this probably saves OPERS some money, but I wish you had been more in touch with the real needs of your people.
How can I get a copy of the benefits in the vision program. Thank You for your time.
Anna, you can view the 2023 Vision and Dental Plan Guide at opers.org under Retired Members then Member Library. Thank you, OPERS
Same for me. My eye doctor that I’ve had for 20 years is not a provider but I’m not going to change. This means more money out of my pocket and claim forms to file. Not happy with OPERS choice.
This is very frustrating. I spent a lot of time searching for a provider that would take Superior Vision near me. Not a superior outcome at all. Some kindly told me to call some known lesser-quality providers. They might take this plan.
My doctor, who I have been seeing for over 30 years, is not accepting this insurance. I do not want to go to the Big Box Stores. I’m really disappointed and had I know. This vision insurance offered so little option the. I would have signed up for another plan. I’ll do so once the new enrollment period occurs
I expected better
Located in Florida. I checked MetLife Vision when notified OPERS was going to it as my provider. My ophthalmologist was listed as part of Metlife plan and so I went with them. Today I ran into 2 problems: 1) Even though we both have the new MetLife Vision card, and I took a pic of the page on OPERS website showing both of us enrolled in MetLife Vision, my husband could not be found by the provider on MetLife’s system, and we had to pay for him to have his exam. What!!!???? Then we found that the office we get our glasses through — THAT WAS ON THE METLIFE LIST OF PROVIDERS that I checked before enrolling with them — had in fact cancelled them many many months ago due to nonpayment of his services by Metlife. Told today by OPERS I had to wait until Fall open enrollment to find another provider. Almost 20 years with the same provider, MetLife obviously falsified/failed to keep updated their list of providers which I checked prior to enrolling with them, and we are stuck…. Hope OPERS reviews issues with MetLife Vision and goes back as it was before. Frankly, definitely NOT impressed with MetLife Vision.
I have not received my met life card for vision. When will that be?
Ronald, in general it can take up to 30 calendar days from the release of a first monthly benefit or the new coverage enrollment, whichever is later to receive Identification cards from MetLife. You can retrieve a replacement ID card on the MetLife webpage at https://www.metlife.com/info/OPERS/ or by contacting MetLife by phone at 1-888-262-4874. Keep in mind, ID cards are not required for services, a member can provide their name and date of birth to the provider and the provider can look up the members benefits.
Can you please email me a Superior Vision Claim form for eyeglasses. Thank you!
Patricia, for assistance with accessing a claim form please either contact MetLife at 1-888-262-4874 or visit their website www. metlife.com/opers. Thank you, OPERS
I am not happy with the change to Met Vision like the others. My provider who I have gone to for over 9 years will not be joining as a preferred provider because this Met plan is not friendly to sole providers, only to big box vision care providers. I got my exam on 2-15-23. I could not find a reimbursement form online for a non participating provider so I called Met for a form to be sent to me. I never received it, but ended up finding one online, and submitted along with an itemized bill on 2-22-23. I called Met today on 3-16-23 because I had not heard anything. At first I was told my service was not covered, a yearly exam and new glasses. Then I was told that I didn’t provide proof of payment, which was on the itemized bill that I paid by VISA and there was no balance. Mind you I never received any correspondence from Met. I requested a review of this claim, that I submitted everything required. To say the least, I am not impressed. We retirees deserve better than this.
Amy, your feedback is valuable. Please forward your experience through the online Message Center at opers.org or please contact our office directly at 1-800-222-7377. Thank you, OPERS
I am new to vison plan and looking for provider
Hello
There is a link to providers on the MetLife Vision website.
The Metlife Superior Vision provider list is seriously outdated and that is not the answer to locating a provider, you should try it for yourself and see what people are complaining about. I spent about 5 hours calling names on the list with no success. I finally stopped reviewing the list and went to Google Maps to find dentists and made calls based on the better reviews of the providers to research my eligibility for this plan. I think the administration needs to contact MetLife to have them update their provider list because this is a very challenging situation for the entire retiree population being uprooted from their providers to try to locate another one. I don’t feel OPERS administration hears their members and the problems they are encountering. This is serious and I continue to see pacifying answers based on routine operating practices by referring everyone to their provider list or a customer service number. That is not the answer to assisting the member when the big issue is ALMOST EVERYONE on their list does NOT accept this insurance. You have uprooted everyone’s lives by switching to this insurance and now it’s up to us to find the provider, if they don’t accept insurance, pay upfront at a higher cost since they are out of network, submit a claim form, wait for payment (if they will pay), and then the most significant issues is the highest cost is Frames and Lenses. In the past, in order to save money, I have purchased the types of frames I like online and then taken them to my provider for the lenses so when we had Aetna, those costs were close to $1,000; I would not want to take that chance given others are complaining about the problems they are having with reimbursement. I would also like to know what is OPERS doing to try to rectify these issues of outdated provider lists and reimbursement complaints and whether they are going to take action related to these numerous concerns.
The doctors on the preferred list are more expensive even with the insurance than a smaller local doctor not on preferred list. I will be cancelling my vision coverage ASAP. As soon as I file a claim for the visit.
i cannot stand the new eye plan. I finally found a provider for the exam itself, but not for the glasses. I cannot even locate how to be reimbursed for the glasses I had to purchase. I AM SO FRUSTRATED WITH MET LIFE VISION.
My eye doctor does not accept this Superior Vision insurance. He says no one accepts this because they are not reimbursed properly. No one carries this! He says we need to lobby OPERS about this. So how do I go about that????
Jeanne,
You can contact us at 800-222-7377.
I am very disappointed that OPERS has chosen MetLife Superior Vision as my vision provider. I suspected at the beginning it was not going to be very good. I gave them a chance and the first time I used them, granted I had to pay out of pocket, things worked out okay. I purchased my contact lenses out of pocket, submitted the claim (which sending in a form through the mail is ridiculous), and waited to see what happened with getting a paper check in the mail. It was not too bad, within ten days. Now comes this year, I had a contact lens fitting, ordered contact lenses and sent in my paper form with copies of receipts. I knew what I had left on my benefit and expected a check in that amount. Two weeks and no check. I called to inquire as to the status. On the phone for at least a half hour. I could barely understand the representative who was obviously working from home based on the background noise I was hearing. They told me the check would be mailed within the next couple of days. Called the next week and was told the check was mailed on September 20th and wait ten days. Called today and guess what, check was mailed on September 27th and give it 30 days to arrive. What?? This MetLife Superior Vision is so behind the times it is ridiculous. Reimbursement requests were handled much better with the prior vision plan. Fill the form out online, scan your receipt and the reimbursement was processed quickly. I appreciate all the benefits of my OPERS Retirement but this Vision Plan needs to be reconsidered! Thank you.
My doctor also will not accept this plan. As people age, they need the best vison plans, not the cheapest. I am very disappointed in whoever made this poor decision.
I cannot believe this day and age you do not cover no line bifocals I hope this changes soon paid 339.00 out of pocket this week