Costco

2024 Update: Use VSP and EyeMed at Costco Optical? AARP Members Welcome!

Wondering if you can use VSP and EyeMed benefits at Costco Optical? Find out the 2024 guidelines for utilizing your vision insurance, including eligibility for AARP EyeMed members. Experience hassle-free shopping with your Costco VSP and EyeMed plans today. Click to learn more and save on eyewear!

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Are you required to have a Costco membership in order to get an eye exam?

You don’t need to be a Costco member in order to book an eye exam. In fact, since most Costco eye doctors are independent, non-members will pay the same price for an eye exam as members.

However, this is not true for products that are vision-related. Costco owns and operates the optical centers inside their stores, so you will need an active membership to buy glasses, contact lenses or eye care products.

You can schedule an appointment at Costco by calling the independent optician located inside or outside the store. You can also call Costco to request to be transferred to an optical center if you cannot find the phone number.

While some locations allow walk-ins at times, it’s better to make an appointment.

If your optometrist is located inside the store, let the greeter know that you have a scheduled eye exam. Talk to someone at customer service, usually found near the exit of the store, if you have questions.

RELATED READING: Your guide to eye exams

Is Costco A Vsp Provider?

Costco Optical claims that they accept “most vision plans.” However, we did some digging and found out what exactly this means.

Costco isn’t a VSP provider. Customers can still use Costco Optical with VSP insurance, but Costco is treated as an “out-of-network” provider. So, customers are responsible for submitting claims for reimbursement after receiving care.

Good question. Good question. An “in-network” provider is a provider that has an established relationship with your insurance company and can take care of the billing process for you.

It doesn’t mean you can’t work with a provider who is out of network. It just means you’ll have a little bit of extra leg work to do in order to get your care covered. Follow the instructions on VSP’s website to submit an out of network coverage claim.

VSP, a vision insurance company, is available in Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia. VSP is America’s largest vision insurance company and offers low-cost vision coverage directly to clients.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

With Or Without Insurance, What Is The Cost Of A Costco Optical Exam?

The first thing an optometrist does when you come to Costco Optical is take a reading of your vision. They will use this information to establish a baseline of your vision and help you decide if contact lenses or glasses are necessary. Your depth perception, color vision and color vision will be assessed. Next, they will dilate your pupils and check for signs of glaucoma and other eye diseases.

Finally, they will measure the pressure inside your eyes and check your peripheral vision. Most of the tests are covered if you have insurance. However, if you don’t have insurance, you may have to pay out-of-pocket for some of the tests. Either way, Costco Optical offers competitive pricing on all of its services.

What is the Cost of a Costco Eye Exam?

A basic eye exam at Costco usually costs between $50 and $100 (without insurance) for a comprehensive eye exam for glasses. Prices will vary based on location.

If needed, services such as contact lens fittings and retinal imaging can increase the final cost. While some doctors will include dilation and retinal imaging as part of their exam cost, contact lens fittings are always an extra charge.

The optometrist at your local Costco will be happy to answer any pricing questions you have before your appointment.

Our survey found that 100 optic centers in the country were surveyed.

  • Independent optometrists associated with wholesale clubs (like Costco and Sam’s Club) charged $61 for an eye exam, on average.

On average, an eye exam was $61 by independent optometrists who are members of wholesale clubs like Costco or Sam’s Club.

  • Each location, non-retail or not, charges $95 for an average eye exam. This is $34 less than the wholesale club average.

All locations, including non-retail locations, charged $95 on average for an eye exam — $34 more than the average wholesale club.

If you have vision insurance, your plan could cover most or all of this fee — just be sure to verify your eligibility before your appointment.

It’s difficult to fail with an eye examination at a retail-based vision center without insurance.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Which Services does the Company Offer?

Optical Centers provide a one-stop destination for all your sight needs. They offer standard eye exams, checkups, and help with contact lenses. Prescription lenses can also be ordered for designer frames.

To find an optical store near you, use the “Find A Warehouse” option on their website. Enter a zip code or state to generate a list with nearby shops. The symbol will indicate where the store is located.

The least expensive way to shop here is by using a coupon. Before you go, it’s worth checking if they take EBT cards or optical insurance.

How Eyemed Insurance Works At Costco

First, EyeMed is not accepted by Costco for certain services. Despite that though, they cover the most common services so you should be fine even if you hold EyeMed insurance.

How much EyeMed will reimburse you will depend on the tie-up between Costco and EyeMed. EyeMed generally reimburses customers based on the benefits of their Vision Care Plan.

Details about this plan can be found here. You can expect a $39 worth of copay on select eye exams and full coverage on most standard lenses (only fiber/plastic lenses covered).

EyeMed offers many additional benefits as part of their insurance policy, however, these benefits are not available at Costco Optical Center.

Once you are done with the procedures, exams, and everything at Costco Optical, it is time to get your reimbursements. It is very easy to get reimbursements for EyeMed.

You just need to complete an EyeMed claim sheet with the Costco receipts, addresses and other information. EyeMed will handle your claim, and you’ll receive reimbursement for eligible items.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Does Costco Optical Take Insurance?

Costco Optical does accept insurance. So, if you have vision insurance, you can use your benefits to cover the cost of your eye exam and/or glasses or contact lenses. You can still benefit from the amazing prices at Costco Optical on eyewear, eye exams, and glasses, even if your vision insurance is not available. Just keep in mind that you must be a Costco member to use any of the optical services.

Costco Optical offers affordable vision and eyewear at a very reasonable price. The Optical Department at Costco is staffed by licensed opticians who are trained to dispense and fit glasses and contact lenses. Costco offers designer and brand name frames at a significantly lower price than you will find in most optical shops.

The Costco Optical Department offers eyewear and comprehensive exams. It is licensed by the state to provide these services.

Final Thoughts

We wish we could give you a more definitive answer about which vision insurance plans Costco Optical accepts, but it’s impossible to do so.

Costco Optical employs independent optometrists. It is these doctors that decide which plans will be accepted by Costco, and not Costco.

However, not all locations will accept big-name vision insurance.

You should contact your nearest Costco Optical location to find out exactly which plans they accept and how much an eye exam will cost. Remember, you must be a member of Costco!

Here are some of my favorite services, products, and Stores

We are grateful that you have read this article. I hope it helps you find the most recent and accurate consumer information. These are services, products and stores that I have used and trust you will find them useful.

Affiliate links are available, and if I do recommend any, you will be compensated a commission. These are exactly what I recommend and use, including my family.

This resource contains all of my most recent recommendations.

+ Products & Services

Convenience Stores

References

https://www.costco.com/optical.html

Lindsey

Lindsey received her MBA in 2009 Lindsey graduated in 2009 with an MBA. She has been a marketer, manager and advisor for the retail and consumer services industry. Lindsey is also the head writer and Co-founder of Rvandplaya.com. Lindsey is located in Morgantown West Virginia.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

This is the Costco Optical Insurance List Accepted

To confirm Costco’s national vision plans, we researched the websites of insurance companies and contacted Costco Optical Centers in Arizona, Florida and Illinois.

About 10% of the Costco Optical centers we contacted said their eye doctors do not accept insurance. Costco optometrists are independent physicians who do not work for Costco. They can decide whether to accept or deny insurance. However, insurance can be used to bill for products like contacts and glasses. You may contact Costco before you book an appointment to verify that your chosen eye doctor accepts your plan.

Costco Optical centers also suggest contacting your vision insurance provider to make sure Costco is in-network.

How Do I Schedule An Eye Exam And What Are Their Hours?

Although walk-ins can be accepted when they are available, it’s a smart idea to schedule your next appointment by calling ahead.

We now have to ask the next logical question: What are Costco’s optical hours, and how are they different from regular warehouse hours?

Although the “exam hours”, in many cases are not the same as the warehouse hours, they still have the ability to sell the glasses.

At my Costco, exams are available from 10 am – 7 pm Monday-Friday, 9:45 am – 5 pm on Saturday, and 10 am – 3 pm on Sunday.

Just call your local Costco to schedule your appointment and ask what hours they are open.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed Insurance?

Yes, Costco accepts VSP and EyeMed insurance. Costco’s standard insurance is VSP, but EyeMed Insurance can also cover certain benefits. It also has an optical department that accepts major vision insurance plans. So when you visit Costco Eye Center, you’re likely to have your vision care covered by your insurance plan.

However, it is important to note that the optometrists at Costco Eye Center are not employed by the company but are independent practitioners. Therefore, your insurance will also not cover online purchases of sunglasses and eyeglasses. We will go over these conditions more in the coming sections.

You can however, purchase prescription eyeglasses using FSA or HSA funds.

Which insurance does Costco Optical not take?

Interestingly, Costco Optical Centers do not accept any insurance. However, you may be able to bill for your products using your insurance.

Costco Optical accepts a small number of insurance plans, even at locations where they offer it.

For example, nearly no Costco Optical locations accept Humana, TRICARE, CareCredit, EyeMed Vision Benefits, Cigna Vision Insurance, WellCare, or Aetna.

There’s no harm in calling your local Costco Optical to see if they accept your insurance, even if it is one of the plans rarely accepted.

You might live next to one of the few locations that accept these rarer forms of vision insurance.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Costco Optical Accepts What Vision Insurance?

Costco Optical will accept most major vision insurances, such as:

  • Davis Vision
  • VSP
  • FEP BlueVision
  • Spectera
  • MES Vision
  • EyeMed
  • United Healthcare
  • VBA Vision

Costco Optical optometrists may not accept all insurance plans. This is because they are independent doctors who are not employed by Costco.

It is their decision whether they will accept your insurance. You may want to contact your local Costco Optical center to find out whether the doctors there will accept your insurance before you make an appointment.

You can purchase glasses from Costco and have them covered under insurance. Costco Optical offers coverage for a variety of brands, including.

  • Kirkland Signature
  • Fendi
  • Burberry
  • Bebe
  • Veneta
  • Bottega
  • Tod’s
  • Mikli

Costco Optical Reviews

Clark.com readers have a wealth of experience with both getting Costco eye exams and purchasing eyewear through Costco Optical.

Although the vast majority of the comments received were favorable, we try to reflect both the positive and negative aspects of the feedback we receive.

These are the opinions of our readers:

L H: Love Costco Optical! Our Optometrist has significantly better tools and detailed exams than other opticians I’ve seen. He is far more affordable than the “in-network” providers. I have dropped my optical coverage because of his rates. They are also amazing.

Lorilu: I’ve been very happy with Costco Optical and their prices/service, even having glasses repaired at a Costco far from home while on vacation. There are many frames at a great price, including Kirkland. I’ve been using Costco Optical for about 20 years, but I have never used the Optometrist, preferring my own ophthalmologist.

SamRay: Costco gave me a pair of glasses. I am not sure how much time passed before one pair broke, but I think it was less than a year. They could not be repaired so we took them back. I treated them well; they must have been defective (definitely at least a poor design).

Dawn Scire: The worst glasses I have ever bought – Costco Within two months, the lenses developed tiny pitting and scratches. Six months later, I cannot see past them. I went with them because everyone raved at how cost-effective they are … not so much if they must be replaced every few months!

Have you ever purchased eyeglasses from Costco? Share your experience in our Clark.com Community!

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Optometrists At Costco Versus Elsewhere

Costco’s eye doctors are not usually employees. They are known instead as independent optometrists. Optometrists are also known as “doctor of opticometry”.

In a retail setting like Costco, an independent doctor is one who is associated with a particular store but practices on their own. This is the way most U.S. retail shops work with eye specialists.

For the most part, independent doctors set their own prices, which is why Costco’s eye exams aren’t the same price at every club. But these doctors (and Costco) have an understanding that customers expect a lower exam price, so they are usually priced on the affordable side.

What Kinds Of Sight Insurance Do Costco Optical Adopt?

They accept the majority of effective sight indemnity plans, in order to answer “What insurance does Costco accept for vision?”, including:

  • EyeMed
  • VSP

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Can I Use Vsp At Costco?

Costco does accept VSP and EyeMed vision insurance at some warehouse locations as of 2021, in addition to most other major insurance plans. If customers need a vision test, new glasses, or other vision care, you can get it covered by VSP and EyeMed insurance at Costco.

Eyemed Insight Network

EyeMed gives your employees access to a wide range of national and independent providers. This includes popular chain stores and local favorites. EyeMed Insight Network offers 115,000 access points and includes LensCrafters LensCrafters Pearle Vision Target Optical SVS Vision, Pearle Vision Target Optical, Target Optical SVS Vision, Glasses.com, ContactsDirect.com. EyeMed also provides enhanced resources and online tools that make managing vision benefits easy.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Does Costco Accept Blue View Vision From Eyemed Insurance?

Eyemed also considers Costco to be out of network, just like VSP. You can file a claim for reimbursement with your insurance company after receiving eye health care from out of network doctors, whether you are purchasing prescription eyeglasses, visiting an eye doctor for a vision exam, or purchasing lens enhancements.

Is Costco Good For Eye Exams?

Costco Optical: A Great Choice for Eyeglasses, Eye Exams, Contacts and More. Costco Optical was named No. 1 place to buy glasses in America, according to a Consumer Reports survey of 58,285 respondents.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Is Costco Or Walmart Cheaper For Glasses?

Frames can be inexpensive at these stores. At Walmart and Sam’s Club, we found basic, plastic progressive lenses for as little as $79. Walmart and Sam’s Club have basic plastic progressive lenses starting at $79.

What if I have insurance and want to buy glasses at Costco?

Costco Optical accepts vision plans of all types. For more information, please contact your Costco Optical local department.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

What Progressive Lens Does Costco Use?

Costco uses Essilor technology and lenses designs since a long time. Accolade freedom(tm) HD and Accolade freedom 3.0(tm HD have been two of Costco’s most popular progressive designs. This is a brand, and a design, licensed to Essilor. Costco recently promoted their Kirkland Signature(tm), HD Progressive Lenses.

What does Vsp mean for Costco?

Because Costco is an out-of-network provider for VSP customers, you will have to submit a claim to VSP to receive reimbursement for your care. Unfortunately, according to VSP’s FAQs page, customers who seek care through out-of-network providers are reimbursed at “lesser out-of-network coverage amounts.” We’re not exactly sure what that translates to in a dollar amount, but it sounds like you might not get reimbursed for the full cost of your services or purchases.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed

Does Costco Take Metlife Vision Insurance?

With MetLife Vision, you can choose from thousands of ophthalmologists, optometrists and opticians at private practices or at popular retail locations like Costco(r) Optical, Visionworks and more. You can find the names, addresses, and phone numbers of providers by searching our online Find a Vision Provider directory.

Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed In 2022? (Full Guide)

Costco is much more than simply a retail store that sells everyday essentials and bulk-buying. Affordable services are also available, such as vision treatment.

So, if you need an appointment with an optometrist, you’re probably wondering if Costco takes VSP and EyeMed insurance. Here is everything I found out from my research.

Does Costco Take VSP And EyeMed In 2022? (Full Guide)

Costco to Take VSP and EyeMed in 2022

Costco now accepts VSP and EyeMed vision coverage at certain warehouse locations. If customers need a vision test, new glasses, or other vision care, you can get it covered by VSP and EyeMed insurance at Costco.

Is EyeMed insurance available for Costco Optical customers, and what is the process? These are the details you should know about Costco Optical’s insurance offerings.

Costco: How does EyeMed cover work?

VSP can be accepted in most Costco Optical shops. EyeMed will not cover frames, contact lenses or standard lenses.

You will be reimbursed for the equivalent of their Vision Care Plan benefits. These include up-to $39 copay for certain eye exams as well as 100% coverage on standard plastic lenses.

Costco offers no other discounts for EyeMed customers who have EyeMed insurance.

EyeMed claims must be submitted along with your receipts, in order to receive reimbursement.

Does Costco Take VSP And EyeMed In 2022? (Full Guide)

Costco Optical Accepts What Vision Insurance?

Costco Optical will accept most major vision insurances, such as:

  • Davis Vision
  • VSP
  • FEP BlueVision
  • Spectera
  • MES Vision
  • EyeMed
  • United Healthcare
  • VBA Vision
  • Costco Optical optometrists are not required to accept any insurance. This is because they are independent doctors who are not employed by Costco.

    Therefore, they can choose to take or reject insurance. Before you book an appointment, it is worth calling your nearest Costco Optical Center to verify that they accept insurance.

    Costco glasses can be purchased with insurance. Costco Optical can also provide coverage on a number of other brands of glasses through their insurance policies, such as.

  • Kirkland Signature
  • Fendi
  • Burberry
  • Bebe
  • Veneta
  • Bottega
  • Tod’s
  • Mikli
  • What Services Does Costco Optical Offer?

    Costco optical centers offer basic vision care services, such as eye check-ups and prescription lenses. They sell designer frames which can fit prescription lenses and repair your glasses.

    Find the closest Costco Optical store using the Costco’s “Find A Warehouse” search.

    Enter your zip code or state to generate a list with nearby Costco locations. If a store has a Costco Optical center, there will be a small icon of a pair of glasses underneath the store’s details.

    If you want to save money when shopping at Costco you might also be interested in my Costco coupons policy guides. These guide covers whether Costco offers optical insurance and their EBT card policies.

    Does Costco Take Vsp And Eyemed In 2022? (Full Guide)

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