AOA Advocacy

Congress Approves Measure to Avert Massive Medicare Pay Cut

Facing increased pressure from AOA and other physician organizations, U.S. House and Senate leaders came together late last week to approve yet another measure to prevent enactment of a massive cut to Medicare payments made to optometrists and other Medicare physicians.

Part of a larger deal aimed at continuing a payroll tax break for most workers and extending unemployment insurance for many jobless Americans, the compromise bill now heads to the White House for President Obama’s signature.

Without the bipartisan action, Medicare physician reimbursement rates were scheduled to be slashed by more than 27 percent starting Mar. 1. As a result of this latest deal, under Medicare’s sustainable growth rate formula (SGR), a nearly 30 percent cut is now scheduled for Jan. 1, 2013.

While not fully financed, some of the bill’s price tag was paid-for by requiring new federal workers to contribute more to the federal retirement program. The compromise plan also called for a $5 billion reduction in the Affordable Care Act’s $15 billion prevention fund.

With immediate cuts averted, optometrists are now on track to see even higher Medicare payments in 2012. While most physicians will continue to receive 2011 rates through 2012, many ODs will see a roughly two percent increase in reimbursements in 2012, worth $20 million this year alone.

A direct result of AOA’s advocacy in the nation’s capital, Medicare is now placing a higher relative value on eye care services and is boosting pay. In fact, the added reimbursement could mean that optometry will pass $1 billion in Medicare annual allowed charges for physician services.

While AOA volunteers and staff will continue working closely with House and Senate leaders in the coming months to find a lasting and equitable solution to Medicare’s flawed payment formula, even more ODs and students are being urged to join the fight for patients and the profession.

Hundreds of AOA doctors and students will be on Capitol Hill to address Medicare pay and other priorities for the profession during the AOA’s Super Advocacy Meetings in Washington, D.C., April 1-3 (AOA Congressional Advocacy Conference and AOA State Government and Third Party National Conference).

For information on the upcoming AOA Super Advocacy Meetings or to learn about becoming more involved in federal advocacy, please contact the AOA Washington office at 800-365-2219 or ImpactWashingtonDC@aoa.org.

Some Astounding Numbers

Happy Presidents' Day

I have already completed one conference call today, one more to go. As I was catching up on the hundreds of emails over the weekend I found a couples of numbers I thought were really amazing. The first being only ONE optometrist in the entire state completed the EHR meaningful use and received his stimulus money.  Personally I am tied up in a PECOS credentialing nightmare but I hope this number rises over the year.

I participated in an EHR conference call Friday over lunch with a representative of the state and she was curious as to the hurdles OD's encountered. Stating the obvious.. I mentioned cost, fear, and  too many software choices. She was quite surprised I have been using EHR for 7 years.

As you know, health insurance exchanges and stand alone plan's have been taking up the majority of our legislative efforts over this session. Tracie and her committee have spent countless hours on calls and emails.  Along with Jennifer Levy our new legislative liaison  put out an e-blast Friday with all the latest information we have to educate our members.  Care to take a guess at how many members opened the email?

Only 40%... I find this amazing.   I ask that you at least look at the work we are doing.

Another number to consider.. the Utah Optometric Association spent over $100,000 fighting a bill 1800 Contacts put forth that would allow a kiosk with an autorefraction to be an eye exam. They were successful in defeating the bill.  Makes me wonder if  we had such a bill hit in Maryland what we would do... FYI.. we do not have  100k in the PAC fund.   I also hope all the non members in Utah realize the UOA went to bat for all of optometry and they received a tremendous benefit without being in the association.

Please forward this info to any nonmember you know who asks .. What's in it for me?
john

Two Hectic Days

I continue my streak of having someone else write my columns, below is one from my current extern. enjoy


Extern Life

How is it going fellow MOA members? My name is Kevin Wheat and I am a third year student extern with Dr. John Burns from Pennsylvania College of Optometry. He asked me if I could give you a sneak peak on being a student extern at his office.  So far I would say my experience has been very atypical for a student extern.  

I arrived at his Clinton, MD office on Monday morning to sit in on a conference call with members of the MOA legislative PAC.  Most of the conversation went right over my head.  It was a very important phone call nonetheless; and it was great to see how much thought and effort goes into our state and national organizations to help make optometry thrive.

Patient care was a breath of fresh air compared to clinical assignments at Pennsylvania College of Optometry.  I hated writing lengthy assessment and plans by hand with my terrible penmanship at TEI.  Thankfully Dr. Burns believes in electronic health records.

I have become more familiar with contact lenses because, who knew?.... patients outside of TEI actually want to be fitted for contact lenses!  I also got to see my first OrthoK patient. Due to Christmas break and studying for my boards, I haven't touched a phoropter in a month and a half, so my refracting skills were a little rusty, to say the least.  At the end of the day we talked a little bit about finances and how the office did for the day.  It has gave me hope knowing that someday I might be able to pay off my student loans.   

Then I will be able to put my own name on the door.

On day two we set up a meeting with Eye Designs in Collegeville, PA to negotiate and design a renovation of the optical and welcome area at the office.  It was a great experience to see first hand how the factory makes and prepares the materials to be shipped out across the nation.  The people at Eye Designs shared a ton of knowledge on how to showcase the frames in the dispensary.   The best part of the experience was trying to pick out the color schemes and finishes.

Needless to say not one of us from the office are designers, it took forever!

On the way back we stopped by a quarterly meeting in Baltimore for a buying group Dr. Burns is a part of.   We heard about some new things occurring in the industry to help with practice management, contact lens research, etc.  At the end of the meeting Dr. Burns gave a little report on what the MOA had been doing as of late.

So far it has been a wonderful experience learning about the industry and meeting amazing people along the way.  If you are interested in having a 3rd year PCO student rotate through your practice during the months of February to May please contact Maria Parisi at mparisi@salus.edu or215.780.1347.

EHR Money.. Did you get yours?

AOA Members Report Receiving $18,000 Thanks to AOA Insistence on Inclusion of Optometrists in Federal Program

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) data show optometrists are quickly establishing themselves as leaders in the implementation of electronic health records (EHRs), according to the AOA Advocacy Group.

Some 614 optometrists qualified for bonus payments during the first 11 months of the department’s Medicare EHR Incentive Program, according to data posted online by the HHS.

Optometrists have already reaped $11 million in payments through the Medicare EHR Incentive program, the AOA Advocacy Group noted.

"That is a direct result of action by the AOA Advocacy Group over recent years to ensure optometrists are eligible for the Medicare incentive program, as well as an extensive AOA education program to help optometrists implement EHR systems and qualify for incentives,” said AOA President Dori Carlson, O.D.

Overall, optometry ranks ninth among all of the various types of health care practitioners and facilities tracked by the HHS for participation in the Medicare EHR program.

“This is great news. More than 600 individual optometrists have already earned up to $18,000 in incentives under the Medicare EHR program. Moreover, optometry, as a profession, is positioning itself for participation in the nation’s planned new EHR network and success in the coming pay-for-performance reimbursement programs that will be based on data obtained through EHR systems,” said Philip Gross, O.D., chair of the AOA HIT Subcommittee.

Over the past 10 months, hundreds of AOA members attended the association’s  EHR course at state optometric association meetings or Optometry’s Meeting®, he said.   A new, expanded version of the program, “Navigating Meaningful Use, Quality Reporting, and e-Prescribing with EHRs” is being offered at optometric meetings this year.

For additional information on the Medicare EHR Incentive Program, see the AOA Web site EHR page (www.aoa.org/EHR).

No cell phone.. legislative committee

Hopefully everyone read my Presidents Report for February, it was a response from the AOA regarding the bankruptcy rumor.
 It has not been a week since President Council , however I have spent a lot of time on conference calls regarding the HIE and ACA changes going on in Maryland. I think only Tracie has logged more hours on the phone.  We have set up a dedicated time.. Monday 8am for legislative calls with Pat Roddy (our legal counsel/lobbyist). I am trying to get more involvement , we do not want to be the only ones making decisions.  If you are interested in helping let me know

On a personal note, on my way home from the Georgetown UConn basketball game  while  on the metro I had my cell phone stolen right out of my hands reading my MOA emails.  That should teach me. Oh.. how life changes without a smartphone. Tom Wong had offered me his old one, even though I rooted for UConn.  I should have it by next Wednesday.

As if my life is not hectic enough , I look forward to Monday when I welcome an extern from PCO to my office.

Have a great weekend, enjoy the Super Bowl ,and if you need to contact me.. email please.
Hope to speak to most of you Monday at 8

john