Latest News Covered California Announces Agreement With EyeMed By Staff Friday, May 6, 2016 12:21 AM Lukas Ruecker. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California, the state’s marketplace for the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, now has a second pathway to vision plans under an agreement with EyeMed Vision Care. The state exchange had announced that VSP Vision Care would be available on the site in February of this year, as VMail reported. In its announcement late last week, Covered California’s executive director Peter V. Lee, said, “We’re excited EyeMed is on board to offer another vision care path for consumers to choose from. EyeMed Vision Care is a proven leader in the vision service community and we believe they will bring added value to consumers shopping at CoveredCA.com.”Visitors to CoveredCA.com can access EyeMed Vision Care via a link, which will take the consumer to EyeMed Vision Care’s website. Once on the EyeMed Vision Care website, consumers will work directly with EyeMed Vision Care to shop for vision benefits and see what coverage options are best for their situation.“97 out of 100 EyeMed members are satisfied with their vision benefits,” said Lukas Ruecker, EyeMed president. “Making the member the center of all our decisions is one of the reasons we’re the nation’s fastest-growing vision benefits company. Covered California consumers who opt for EyeMed will enjoy more choices—in participating providers, in exam technology and in eyewear solutions. They will also have access to the digital 21st-century tools they need to navigate those choices with confidence.”Ruecker told VMail, “The correlation between coverage and care is too strong to deny. Three out of four eye exam patients use a vision benefit and data shows our members return for exams and purchase corrective eyewear more frequently than self-pay patients. It's clear that vision care matters more than ever—it's driving consumers to think about, and prioritize, their eyes. But access is still a challenge, which is why we're excited to be one of the first managed vision care companies to partner with Covered California. Public exchanges like theirs are key to bringing access to youth as well as the adults responsible for their care.” As part of the agreement with Covered California, EyeMed Vision Care will conduct annual consumer surveys to ensure a positive consumer experience. In addition, EyeMed Vision Care will provide quarterly enrollment reports to Covered California based on those who have accessed EyeMed Vision Care through CoveredCA.com.Covered California is committed to providing access to a wide range of options for consumers and serves as a one-stop-shopping location for all their health care needs. In addition to the health plans offered through the exchange, Covered California also has dental options available. Enrollment with EyeMed Vision Care is available year-round, and there are no open enrollment dates, the statement said. Covered California, in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, was charged with creating a new health insurance marketplace in which individuals and small businesses can get access to affordable health insurance plans. Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the new market work for California’s consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor and the legislature. With more than 42 million members, EyeMed offers a diverse network of independent eyecare providers and retail providers, including LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Target Optical, Sears Optical and JCPenney Optical.