EyeMed Vision Plan

To perform at your best, you need to be able to see clearly. The EyeMed vision plan will be the vision plan for all US employees for routine eye exams, prescription glasses and prescription contact lenses regardless of your medical plan coverage. Microsoft covers the cost of your EyeMed vision coverage, meaning there are no per-paycheck premiums.You have the flexibility to choose from a large, nationawide network of eye doctors to find the care that’s right for you.

You are eligible to participate in the vision plan if you are a benefit-eligible corporate or retail employee on the Microsoft US payroll. Interns and visiting researchers are not eligible for the EyeMed vision plan.

Eligible dependents

When you sign up for vision coverage, you can also enroll eligible dependents including your:

Spouse:

You must be lawfully married (whether the same or opposite sex of the employee) and not legally separated. You will be considered lawfully married if either of the following is true:
You were married in a state, possession, or territory of the U.S. and you are recognized as lawfully married by that state, possession, or territory of the U.S.; or
You were married in a foreign jurisdiction and the laws of at least one state, possession, or territory of the U.S. would recognize you as lawfully married. In no event will the Plan recognize more than one spouse at any time.

Domestic partner:

You and your domestic partner (either of the same or opposite sex) must meet all of the following requirements:
You are each other's sole domestic partner and intend to remain so indefinitely
Neither of you is legally married
You are both at least 18 years of age and are mentally competent to consent to contract
You are not related by blood to a degree of closeness that would prohibit legal marriage in the state in which you legally reside
You reside together in the same residence and intend to do so indefinitely (excepting a temporary residence change of not more than 90 days during which you and your domestic partner reside in separate homes)
You are mutually responsible (financially and legally) for each other's common welfare

Dependent children under age 26 Includes your:

Biological child and/or your spouse’s/domestic partner’s biological child

Child for whom you or your spouse/domestic partner has been named legal guardian as appointed by the courts (or recognized as guardian by the state of residence)

Legally adopted child, or child who has been placed with you for adoption, but not a foster child

A child’s eligibility as a dependent child under age 26 does not rely on the child’s financial dependency (on you or any other person), residency with you or with any other person, student status, employment, eligibility for other health plan coverage, or any combination of these factors.

Incapacitated dependent children age 26 or over:

An incapacitated dependent resides with the employee for more than half of the year, and is unable to sustain employment due to a developmental or physical disability that existed before the child reached age 26. The individual is chiefly dependent on the employee (or the employee’s spouse or domestic partner) for support.

Proof of incapacity must be submitted to the plan administrator:
Within 90 days of the latest of the child's 26th birthday, your date of hire, or the date that you enroll the child in coverage if the child is already over age 26, and then annually thereafter.

Workers who are not eligible for coverage

The following persons are not eligible to participate as employees in the plan under this SPD even if they meet the definition of an eligible employee:

Interns and visiting researchers;
Cooperatives
Apprentices
Nonresident aliens receiving no U.S. source income from Microsoft
Employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement resulting from negotiations with Microsoft in which retirement benefits were the subject of good faith bargaining and participation in this plan was not provided for.
Persons providing services to Microsoft pursuant to an agreement between Microsoft and any other individual or entity, such as a staff leasing organization (leased employees)
Temporary workers engaged through or employed by temporary or leasing agencies
Workers who hold themselves out to Microsoft as being independent contractors or as being employed by or engaged through another company while providing services to Microsoft
Project-based employees. For purposes of the plan, a project-based employee is one who is hired to work on a project or series of projects, is employed for a limited term, and has signed a Project-Based Employment Agreement.
All other workers who Microsoft does not classify as being either a full-time or part-time employee on the Microsoft U.S. payroll, even if that classification is later determined to be incorrect or is retroactively revised.

No duplicate coverage

If both you and your spouse or domestic partner are employed by Microsoft and are eligible for benefit coverage, you are only allowed to be covered under one plan. You can either enroll as a dependent under your spouse or eligible domestic partner's plan or enroll in your own separate coverage, but not both. Your eligible children must be enrolled under only one employee's coverage.

When you use an in-network provider, you’ll receive the highest benefit and enjoy overage discounts for prescription glasses as well. If you prefer to use an out-network provider, your benefit amount for eye exams and material allowance will be less.

Important Note: Material allowances for prescription glasses or contact lenses cannot be combined for in-network and out-of-network providers; you must choose one or the other. The type of provider (in-network or out-of-network) for your first material allowance claim each calendar year will determine your benefit for the remainder of that year.

For eye exams, you may use an out-of-network provider and still utilize an in-network provider for the material allowance.

In-network benefit amounts

Glasses and contacts: $500 annual material allowance

Eye surgery (e.g. LASIK, PRK, etc): $1,000 lifetime allowance

Eye exam: Fully covered once per year (including contact lens fittings)

Retinal imaging: You’ll pay up to $39

Out-of-network benefit amounts

Glasses and contacts: $350 annual allowance

Eye surgery (e.g. LASIK, PRK, etc): $1000 lifetime allowance

Eye exam: Up to $75 is reimbursable

Retinal imaging: Not covered

In-network discounts may not be combined with any other discounts or promotional offers. Discounts do not apply to EyeMed Provider’s professional services, disposable contact lenses or certain brand name vision materials in which the manufacturer imposes a no-discount practice or policy. Material allowance overage discounts may not be available at all participating providers. Prior to your appointment, please confirm with your provider whether discounts are offered.

Quick tip! You can use your annual material allowance to get more than one pair of glasses and/or contacts. Once you’ve exhausted the limit, in-network providers offer a 40% discount on complete pairs of prescription glasses (and a 20% discount on non-prescription sunglasses).

Routine Eye Care vs Medical Eye Care

For any Eye medical condition, it should continue to be covered by your selected medical plan. Please see the "Vision vs Medical Plan Coverage Comparison" table for more details.

For a detailed list of what’s covered, as well as exclusions and limitations, refer to the Summary Plan Description for Retail or the Summary Plan Description for Corporate.

You can enroll in the plan during your New Hire enrollment period, during the Open Enrollment period, or upon experiencing a Qualified Status Change. The open enrollment period takes place in the fall each year, typically in the first few weeks of November, prior to Thanksgiving week. The specific dates will be communicated to you each year. To learn more about mid-year enrollments, go to Qualified Status Change.

The EyeMed member portal allows you to view your coverage, use the cost estimator, search for in-network providers with the Provider Locator tool, and schedule appointments with many in-network providers without leaving the site. You can search based on location, hours, services, and even languages spoken, giving you all the tools you need to find the right fit.

To use the benefit, choose an in-network eye doctor from the Provider Locator on the portal, schedule your visit and go in for care or eyewear. You don’t even need your ID card—just give them your name and birthday. When you stay in-network, EyeMed will handle all the paperwork.

The Living Well Eye Care by LensCrafters, situated at B8 and the Submixer on the Redmond campus, provides services to employees and their family members aged 6 and older who are enrolled in the Microsoft-provided EyeMed vision plan. You can schedule eye exams and shop from a broad selection of prescription eyewear, including glasses and contact lenses, as well as non-prescription sunglasses. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please click here.

FAQs

Is the vision plan part of the medical insurance plan?

What is the coverage for retinal imaging for out of network providers?

What is the coverage for LASIK?

Does the benefit cover non-prescription sunglasses?

Are there any deductibles for the EyeMed vision plan?

There are no deductibles for the EyeMed vision plan. Utilizing an in-network provider will enable you to maximize your benefits. Eye exams are provided at no cost, and you’ll receive a $500 material allowance when using an in-network provider. While you can visit an out-of-network provider, you’ll have to pay for services upfront and file for reimbursement. Not only that, if the out-of-network provider charges more than the allowed amount for your region, you’ll have to pay the difference. When using an out-of-network provider, you’ll receive a $350 material allowance.

Do out-of-network provider costs exceeding $75 contribute towards the medical deductible?

What is the coverage for children under 18?

What is the coverage for myopia control management in children, specifically when hard lenses are utilized?

Can I enroll my spouse in the vision plan without enrolling them in the medical plan?

How much does it cost to add my dependents to the vision plan?

How do I find an eye doctor in my network?

Does EyeMed offer any extra discounts?

Yes! Once your $500 material allowance is exhausted, you’ll receive these additional discounts from participating in-network providers:

a 40% discount on additional complete pairs of prescriptions glasses (frame, lens and lens options) beyond the first pair

a 15% discount off conventional contact lenses (additional discounts do not apply to disposable or medically necessary contact lenses)

20% off non-prescription sunglasses, and

discounts on LASIK laser vision correction.

Are Living Well Eye Care centers on campus in the EyeMed network?

Is LenCrafters in-network?

Are Warby Parker and Costco in-network providers?

Warby Parker and Costco are not in-network providers within the EyeMed network. Members who receive services at Warby Parker, Costco, or any other out-of-network provider will initially pay out of pocket. To seek reimbursement, members should log in to their account, complete the out-of-network claim form, and upload itemized receipts. The reimbursement for materials obtained out of network is up to $350.

Are contact lenses considered in-network based on the provider or the brand?

Can I get the same kind of care with a retail provider as I can with an independent doctor?

Many optometrists share space with a retail optical store but operate a separate practice. All of them, wherever they practice, must meet the same state licensing and credentialing requirements. One advantage of using a vision carrier, like EyeMed, is that credentials of every in-network eye doctor are thoroughly examined and verified, so you can feel confident you’re getting access to qualified eye doctors.

What steps is EyeMed taking to expand its network?

Are the $500 materials allowance and one-time $1000 lifetime pre-post op/LASIK etc. allowance per person or per plan?

Can I purchase multiple pairs of glasses using the material allowance?

Can I combine the in-network and out-of-network material allowances?

Are frames, sunglasses, smart glasses, and non-prescription sunglasses covered?

Prescription eyeglasses are included under the materials allowance for vision benefit. These benefits may also extend to prescription Smart glasses. Prescription sunglasses are also covered. Non-prescription sunglasses are not covered under the materials allowance, but you can receive a 20% discount on them from participating in-network providers.

What’s the difference between the discount I get on the remaining balance of my purchase and the additional discounts available with my EyeMed plan?

Are Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) contact lenses covered under the material allowance?

Can I use EyeMed benefits online?

How do I get an ID card replacement or extra cards?

How do I submit a claim?

How many days does reimbursement through EyeMed usually take?

Can I use my HSA or FSA for items not covered by my vision plan?

What does ‘declining balance’ mean?

If I don't need glasses, should I still get an eye exam?

How often should I get an eye exam?

At what age should my child first visit the eye doctor?

My child gets a vision screening at school, so there's no need for an eye exam, right?

What is the difference between a standard and premium contact lens fitting?

If you choose to wear contact lenses, you will need a contact lens evaluation to determine the best type and size of lens specific to your vision needs. Based on the type of lens your eye care provider prescribes, this could be a standard or premium fitting. Common examples of a premium fitting include contact lenses to correct astigmatism, colored contacts and bifocal contacts.