Archive for October, 2011
Course offers ways ODs can play bigger role in fighting cancer, hypertension, stroke, diabetes
October 28, 2011The American health care system is placing new emphasis on the prevention and early detection of disease. And that, in turn, is placing increased responsibility on optometrists, according to Blair Lonsberry, O.D., a professor at the Pacific University College of Optometry in Forest Grove, Ore., and the clinic director for the college’s Portland Vision Center. Read the rest of this entry ?
New Medicare ABN required Jan. 1
October 24, 2011The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is delaying required use of its revised Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) form (CMS-R-131) until Jan. 1, 2012.
Health care practitioners can continue to use older versions of the ABN form – the ABN-G (Form CMS-R-131G), ABN-L (Form CMS-R-131L), and NEMB (Form CMS-20007) – until that time.
The CMS had planned to require use of the new ABN form on Oct. 1, 2011.
For additional information, see the “Fee for Service (FFS)” section on the CMS Beneficiary Notice Initiative Web page (www.cms.gov/NBI).
2012 ICD-9 will include new codes for reporting glaucoma
October 23, 2011Glaucoma coding will be quite different when completing claims for Medicare patients starting Oct. 1 and for all other insurers beginning Jan. 1, 2012.
The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) is the classification used to code and classify diseases.
For what is currently defined 365.0 in the ICD-9 codes, Borderline Glaucoma, new codes have been designated (365.01, 365.02, 365.05). Read the rest of this entry ?
AOA produces 3-D resources to help members
October 22, 2011
Excerpt from the “3D in the Classroom” report.
Materials that help you communicate the importance of comprehensive eye care – using interest in 3-D viewing as a “hook” – are now available from the AOA for sharing with your patients, your community and your staff.
In collaboration with educators, vision researchers and specialist advisors from across the 3-D industry, the AOA has released a comprehensive report for teachers, students and parents that describes and explains the optimal uses of 3-D in the classroom, including how 3-D approaches to learning serve as a fulcrum for enhanced teaching and improved assurance of school readiness.
The 34-page full-color public health report, “3-D in the Classroom: See Well, Learn Well,” is available for AOA members to download at no cost from www.aoa.org/3D.
In addition, the AOA has printed 10,000 copies for distribution to school district administrators, educators and ODs.
Research has shown that 3-D programming in the classroom can improve learning and retention. However, there is a widespread belief that viewing 3-D is harmful for children’s vision. Read the rest of this entry ?
Carlson takes 20/20 school tour on road again
October 21, 2011
AOA President Dori Carlson, O.D., chats with Qian Yang, first-year student at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, during her 20/20 Tour visit to the college Sept. 23. Qian had her own copy of Women In Optometry featuring Dr. Carlson on the cover in hand.
With optometry students back in school for the fall semester, AOA President Dori Carlson, O.D., resumed her 20/20 Tour of 20 student visits in 20 months.
Her first stop of the school year was the Michigan College of Optometry (MCO) on Sept. 13.
One hundred students attended the annual Michigan Optometric Association (MOA)/MCO Student Night. Dr. Carlson presented and answered questions from students, faculty and the MOA Board. She also attended the faculty breakfast with 30 faculty members along with MOA board members.
Dr. Carlson updated her blog, www.dori20-20tour.org, with the following: “Last week I had a unique school visit experience. I had just about every first- through third-year student at Michigan College of Optometry AND several faculty AND the entire Michigan Optometric Association board at my ‘Lessons for Optometry’ session. I estimate there were about 150 people in the room that evening. As a result I was able to incorporate some comments for faculty and board members in to my talk. Loved the questions I got as well. Truthfully that’s my favorite part – the questions I get afterward. And guess what – there were students from North Dakota too!”
Dr. Carlson’s next stop was the Southern College of Optometry (SCO) on Sept. 21.
Nearly 170 students attended the presentation followed by a question and answer session. She also met with 40 faculty at a luncheon and connected with a group of SCO student leaders.
Two days later, Dr. Carlson headed to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University.
She attended another faculty luncheon and gave a presentation to 175 students followed by questions and answers. The Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) board also attended. Read the rest of this entry ?
Montreal optometry school names Casanova as incoming director
October 21, 2011Christian Casanova, Ph.D., was announced to succeeded the outgoing Jacques Gresset in the directorship of the School of Optometry at the University of Montreal (U of M). The term of office is for four years.
Dr. Casanova is a professor at the School of Optometry and an associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke. Read the rest of this entry ?
ODs urged to consider increasing use of e-prescribing, participation in PQRS program
October 20, 2011By Roger Jordan, O.D., chair of the AOA Federal Relations Committee, and Gary Robbins, executive director of the Kansas Optometric Association and member of AOA Health Information Technology Subcommittee
Medicare has had an electronic-prescribing (e-Rx) incentive program for the last four years. During this period, the program has never required an optometrist to use electronic medical records.
Stand-alone vendors, such as Allscripts, can be used and successfully fulfill the incentive. The incentive has been 2 percent in previous years and is 1 percent in 2011. Overall, the payment is based on the total Medicare-allowed charges for professional services. Read the rest of this entry ?
Surescripts gears for e-Rx of controlled substances
October 20, 2011Surescripts, the nation’s largest e-prescribing network, announced Sept. 12 that it now supports electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS).
The company also announced “limited deployment” of its controlled substance e-prescribing capability by certified pharmacies and prescriber software vendors. Read the rest of this entry ?
Web courses cover Medicare basics
October 19, 2011Many health care practitioners need information on the basics of the Medicare system, the U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) notes.
The Medicare Learning Network (MLN) now offers a series of Web-based training courses to teach health care professionals the fundamentals of the Medicare Program. Read the rest of this entry ?
