Executives at Bailey Lauerman & Associates, an advertising agency in Lincoln and Omaha, Neb., see big value in offering a vision plan to its employees.  Though they're paying for coverage of a single dental and vision plan for its 60 employees, they say it's a small price to pay for keeping—and attracting—happy and healthy employees. “We use it as a recruiting tool,” says Spencer Peery, the firm's business manager. “We offer some of the best benefits at a competitive price. These benefits keep our employees healthier. They use dental and vision coverage almost as much as they use health insurance, for both prevention and general care.”

Bailey Lauerman & Associates offer a single dental and vision plan and pays for employees' coverage. Workers pay $20 a month to add their families to the plan.

“It's worth it to us to be able to offer that benefit. It's one of our costs of doing business and keeping employees happy,” Peery says, adding that the company plans to continue offering the same, standalone vision benefit, even when coverage bought on an insurance exchange becomes another option.