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Doctors questioning Superior Vision auto-enrollment with Davis Vision
September 4, 2025
Received a notice from Versant Health? Here’s what to know.
Tag(s): Advocacy, Third Party
Key Takeaways
- Doctors of optometry in several states who are in-network providers for Superior Vision have received notice that they will now be included as in-network providers for Davis Vision, both of which are Versant Health companies.
- Doctors who wish to discuss options are advised to contact Versant Health. A specific contact is typically listed on the notice from the company.
- The AOA has contacted Versant Health about this and its implications within state laws.
- Doctors should request and review contract terms and corresponding fee schedules from vision plans before agreeing to opt in as a covered provider—not after.
- For guidance on contract review, access the AOA’s Practice Success Resources.
- Report vision plan concerns and questions to stopplanabuses@aoa.org.
Doctors of optometry in several states have received a notice indicating that as an in-network provider for Superior Vision, they will now be included as an in-network provider for Davis Vision.
Both Superior Vision and Davis Vision are Versant Health companies.
The AOA is in discussion with Versant Health about this approach and its implications within state laws.
“I believe optometrists must retain the right to freely choose whether they wish to sign up for a particular vision plan,” says Tommy Lucas, O.D., director of advocacy for the Texas Optometric Association. “Versant has stripped away that right and instead has dictated to us, without our consent, that we will be operating our small businesses in a certain manner.”
Some doctors of optometry report they have opted out of this agreement, deciding not to participate with either Superior Vision or Davis Vision. Others are seeking to opt out only from Davis Vision. Doctors who wish to discuss options are advised they must contact Versant Health; a specific contact is typically listed on the notice from the company.
“A much better and respectful way for Versant to have handled this issue would have been to proactively reach out to its current network of optometrists to see if they wished to join another Versant network,” Dr. Lucas says.
Contract review reminders
As with any new contract, doctors of optometry should request and review contract terms and corresponding fee schedules from vision plans before agreeing to opt in as a covered provider. It’s always easier to negotiate a contract before you sign it, says Steve Eiss, O.D., chair of AOA’s Third Party Center Committee.
“There are factors to take into account before signing that contract,” he says. “It is very important to make sure your practice can survive when participating with discount vision plans.”
That assessment depends on the specific circumstances of each practice.
Fee schedule: How low is too low for reimbursements? Here’s how Dr. Eiss decides for his own practice: “I generally will take 2x the exam reimbursement, then subtract the hourly rate for a front desk person, a tech and a quarter amount of a billing person. If this number is very low, I won’t even consider the plan.” That’s because a low reimbursement won’t cover the costs associated with running a practice, he says, such as rent and utilities. What is considered a “low” number will vary from practice to practice.
Reimbursement for materials: Does the vision plan require you to use a specific lab, or provide specific frames for the patient to use? “Generally, these will be dealbreakers for me,” Dr. Eiss says. Other providers may choose to agree to these terms.
For more guidance on contract review, access the AOA’s Practice Success Resources.
A note on antitrust compliance: In accordance with AOA policy, the AOA does not recommend to its members that they either should or should not participate in any particular third party payer plan. In addition, AOA member doctors are prohibited from discussing their third party contracting decisions with other members. Do not discuss your contracting decisions with other practitioners, except those with whom you practice and have a bona fide business relationship. Contracting decisions must be made by different practices individually based on their specific business conditions.
Report vision plan concerns and questions to stopplanabuses@aoa.org.