July 2, 2024
UnitedHealthcare Vision is among the newest members of the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC) and the first managed vision care company to join the organization. Review of Myopia Management caught up with its CEO, Lori Archer, who is now a 2024 GMAC board member, to learn how the company is taking a leadership role in providing access to myopia management for pediatric patients.
Read the following interview to find out what UnitedHealthcare Vision is covering related to myopia management, who it has partnered with, and what its goals are to slow the progression of myopia among children.
Review of Myopia Management: UnitedHealthcare Vision has recently shared updates related to myopia management. Please describe what you’re doing, how this was developed, and what the goals of doing so are.
Lori Archer, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Vision: UnitedHealthcare Vision is focused on two key areas related to myopia and myopia management. The first is to drive awareness of myopia, with a specific focus on children and on myopia management through targeted education, resources, and communications. The second is to help make access to care more affordable for eligible members through our enhanced Children’s Eye Care Program benefit and through partnership initiatives.
RMM: UnitedHealthcare Vision has joined the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition. What was the appeal of joining this group and the impetus for doing so? What has been accomplished so far, and what expectations do you have from being a part of this group?
Lori Archer: UnitedHealthcare Vision has recently joined the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC). We joined GMAC for several reasons. GMAC is comprised of key industry leaders who are dedicated to the critical objectives to promote public awareness of myopia as a treatable disease and to advocate for the use of interventions that have been shown to slow the progression of this condition. These tactics closely align with our focus on children’s eye care and how eye care connects to overall health and wellness.
As the only managed vision care company on the GMAC board, we hope to bring a unique perspective to the broader conversation around myopia and to help shape the landscape moving forward. In addition, our participation will allow us to leverage GMAC’s extensive knowledge base and resources to help drive awareness and more effectively educate our members about myopia, its growing prevalence, and the potential to intervene with myopia management to slow progression.
RMM: UnitedHealthcare Vision has established a partnership with Treehouse Eyes. Please describe what this partnership entails, how it developed, and what the goals of doing so are.
Lori Archer: With the objectives to drive awareness and help offset the costs associated with myopia management, we have partnered with Treehouse Eyes to offer UnitedHealthcare Vision members discounts on treatment at participating locations, as well as online consultations at no additional cost nationwide. The treatment discount is a value-added discount currently offered in six areas – Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. — and consists of a complimentary comprehensive assessment for myopia and a discount off the first year of myopia management treatment for new pediatric patients at participating Treehouse Eyes locations. This discount offer is separate from our members’ vision benefit plan.
The goal is to expand this program to additional UnitedHealthcare Vision members in more cities in the future. Members can find additional information at myuhcvision.com.
RMM: What else is UnitedHealthcare Vision doing to spread the word and help slow the progression of myopia?
Lori Archer: In addition to our active participation in GMAC, UnitedHealthcare Vision members have access to our Children’s Eye Care Program, which is focused on addressing the unique eye health challenges young people face. This is an enhanced eye care benefit for UnitedHealthcare Vision members at no additional cost. It provides children up to age 13 with coverage for a second covered eye exam during the plan year and an additional pair of glasses if their vision prescription changes 0.5D or greater.
RMM: Is there anything else you would like to add about UnitedHealthcare Vision’s initiatives to address myopia management?
Lori Archer: UnitedHealthcare Vision also offers many educational tools for members, including our Beginner’s Guide to Myopia. This guide shares detailed information about juvenile-onset myopia and treatment options that may be available to slow the progression of nearsightedness. The guide also covers symptoms to watch for and the next steps parents or caregivers can consider if they think their child may be experiencing a vision issue.
Additionally, UnitedHealthcare Vision keeps a robust library of health and wellness resources on myuhcvision.com to help raise awareness of the connection between vision and overall health and to offer tips on how to keep eyes healthy.