Julian Roberts, Executive Director, NAVCP.
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SAN DIEGO—The program agenda was “Future Focused” as executives of the country’s largest managed vision care plans and insurers, joined by allied members and some major optical retailers, came together here for two days at the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP) annual Vision Health Summit.

The program at this year’s meeting explored a range of topical issues which could impact the delivery of vision care benefits in the future, ranging from the new administration and Congress’ health care perspectives, issues raised by telemedicine and the definition of comprehensive eye exams.

Attendees also heard policy and legislative overviews of state and national proposals and the viewpoints from a varied panel sharing a discussion of private equity’s growing involvement in the vision care space.

NAVCP’s board and officers for the 2017-2018 term were also formally elected at the meeting: Chair of is Karen Gustin, EVP Group Division, Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.; Chair-Elect is Lukas Ruecker, president, EyeMed Vision Care; Immediate Past-Chair is Aspasia Shappet, CEO, MES Vision; Secretary/Treasurer is Kirk Rothrock, CEO, Superior Vision.
Marketing and Communications Committee chair is Kate Renwick-Espinosa, President, VSP Vision Care; Public Policy Committee Chair is Erich Sternberg, President, AlwaysCare Benefits/Starmount Life; Technology Committee chair is Robert Stein, Chief Philanthropic and Managed Care Development Officer, National Vision, and Industry Relations Committee chair is Daniel Levy, OD, Chief Optometric Officer, Avesis Inc.

Other members of the NAVCP board include directors:Vidya Baliga, Vision Director, eyeQuest; Danny Bentley, President, Davis Vision; David Cassell, general counsel, SVS Vision; Ben Cook, President and CEO, Vision Group Holdings; James Davies, president/CEO, VBA; Rob Goren, President and CEO, Advantica; Alan Hirschberg, vice president, Metlife; Philip Kaufman, President, Specialty Benefits, United Healthcare; Myles Lewis, CEO, General Vision Services; Dr. Glen March, co-founder and CEO, March Vision Care; Tameeka Smith, President, Dental & Vision, Aetna, Inc. and, representing NAVCP Allied members, Gail Tarantino, senior director Key Accounts, Essilor of America, Inc.

The opening keynote speaker at the meeting was Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA). The closing keynote was Roy Spence Jr., co-founder and Chairman of GSG&M.