News from the AOA's Blog

Dear Colleague:

As you know, this past week has seen a flurry of activity on health reform. The AOA has been asking optometrists to get involved, send e-mails and make phone calls. As a result of your efforts, we have seen important progress.

First, the AOA-backed Ross Patient Access Amendment advanced in the U.S. House. A key health care panel in Congress, meeting for a special legislative mark-up session on Sept. 23, has approved a critical AOA-backed amendment aimed at ensuring that health care reform legislation advancing in the U.S. House will not preempt state patient choice and provider non-discrimination laws. After hearing from the AOA Washington office and ODs across the country over the last few weeks, the committee approved the Ross Patient Access Amendment by voice vote. It is now due to be considered when the full House takes up its combined version of national health care reform legislation next month. The AOA’s successful efforts were closely coordinated with Reps. Mike Ross (D-AR), Bruce Braley (D-IA), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) and other pro-optometry leaders in Congress.

Second, the AOA was effective in getting its message across that patients benefit from comprehensive eye care that can be provided and covered by their medical plan. In the health care debate, we view our priority to be summed up in one word: access. An amendment that has been under consideration would have steered patients away from integrated eye care, a model where optometrists are able to have the most impact on the vision and eye health of their patients. It is important to the AOA that we expand access to comprehensive eye care for your patients in a medical model. Just as important to the AOA, we do not want to surrender fair treatment for optometrists.

For further context on this important issue, please read AOA’s position paper.

To keep winning and to help assure a seat at the table on health care policy issues, AOA is encouraging every OD to look at how they can help the cause, including joining the AOA Federal Keyperson program (http://www.aoa.org/x4826.xml) and investing in AOA-PAC (http://www.aoa.org/x4827.xml).

Randolph E. Brooks, O.D.
AOA President

The AOA sections are looking to build a storehouse of arresting and beautiful photos with your help. The sections’ first photo contest is open to AOA section member ODs and American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) members. The winning photograph for each section will be featured as the section’s Facebook profile image through the end of the year. Read the rest of this entry ?

Bausch & Lomb announced its intent to consolidate worldwide contact lens manufacturing. The company proposes to begin migrating most of its global contact lens production to its existing sites in Waterford, Ireland, and Rochester, N.Y. Read the rest of this entry ?

The AOA and its state associations have heard from many members who received a letter from Palmetto GBA, the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) for Medicare, informing them that their “supplier type” is not a type that is exempt from the surety bond requirement for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS). The letter states that the supplier needs to send an email to Palmetto explaining why the supplier does not need a surety bond by October 2, 2009. Read the rest of this entry ?