SYDNEY, New South Wales, Australia—VSP Vision Care has announced the addition of the VSP network to nine new health funds in Australia. This brings the total number of health funds that VSP is working with here to 16, a VSP spokesperson told VMail.

The funds include Westfund Health, Peoplecare, CUA, TUH, Phoenix Health Fund, ACA Health Benefits Fund, Health Care Insurance, The Doctors' Health Fund and HIF. With these new health funds, VSP network optometrists now have access to provide materials and services for nearly six million health fund members.

According to VSP, Australia’s health system is a combination of government funded health benefits and private health insurance. Health funds are private health insurance organizations that offer benefit coverage. Some health funds restrict their membership to a specific group, but most health funds have an open membership. VSP partners with Private Health Funds which offer eyewear/optical coverage for their members.

“We’ve had an overwhelming positive response from the health funds we’re working with, regarding the ability to add a network of independent optometrists to their panel,” said Terri Wilson, VSP Vision Care, international business development SVP and general manager. “The VSP network of optometrists provides health fund members with choice and increases the opportunities for them to visit an independent optometrist.”

By working with health fund partners, VSP has been able to increase the number of claims the health funds are processing for independent optometrists in Australia. Data has shown that health funds have experienced up to a 25 percent increase in the number of members who have seen a VSP network optometrist, VSP’s statement said.

The benefit offered to health fund members includes coverage for eyewear. Members receive an annual allowance set by each health fund, which means that each member who chooses to visit a VSP network optometrist will have a specific amount of money that can be used toward their purchase. This provides consumers with a flexible solution for choosing independent optometrists for their eyecare needs, and it also allows for optometrists to compete directly with the optical chains who are already part of the health fund networks, VSP’s statement added.