04/18/2024

AOA on Capitol Hill Wrap-Up

A strong contingent of OOA members participated in the annual AOA on Capitol Hill event this week. The group of 20 ODs and optometry students met with several legislators concerning issues affecting doctors of optometry across the nation. Topics focused on issues with Vision Benefit Managers (VBMs), Medicare reimbursement, veterans’ access to eye and vision care, and online contact lens seller abuses. AOA summaries of each issue are included below. 

AOA on Capitol Hill kicked off Sunday evening, April 14th, with a welcome reception followed by a full day of programming on Monday including an hour of CE on Tips to Negotiate Contracts for Third Party Payers, insight into the growing momentum on VBM reforms, and a full briefing on the four issues to discuss with legislators. OOA members attended fundraisers for Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH09) and Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH05).  

Tuesday, April 15th was a day full of Hill visits. The Ohio delegation met with Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH01), and staff members of Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH03), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH04), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH08), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH09), Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH10), Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-OH13), Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH14), as well as Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) and Sen. JD Vance (R). 

OOA Past President and AOA on Capitol Hill participant Dr. Greg Hicks was pleased with the event, and urges his colleagues to not sit idle. “Optometry simply cannot continue to go into high stakes advocacy battles without increased AOA PAC support. AOA-PAC fights and wins for optometry! Organized medicine, insurers, vision plans and contact lens mass retailers repeatedly attack our small profession on Capitol Hill. Please set up a recurring donation to AOA-PAC to help fight these concerns.” 

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AOA Issue Briefs: 

Combat VBM Abuses to Help Lower Patient Costs and Increase Choice 
The AOA and patient and consumer advocacy groups representing tens of millions of Americans are urging Congress to enact the DOC Access Act (H.R. 1385/S. 1424) to help combat the harmful tactics of market-dominating, vertically-integrated Vision Benefit Managers (VBMs). The DOC Access Act complements laws passed in 45 states which have proven to lower prices, increase choices, and put control of important health care decisions back into the hands of patients and their doctors. 

Stabilize Medicare Payment System to Protect Senior Access to Needed Eye Care 
While Doctors of Optometry and other physicians appreciate Congress stepping in to blunt the impact of enacted Medicare pay cuts, doctors are reeling from the cuts that remain combined with the steep increase in the cost of providing care. The AOA and dozens of other patient and provider groups are urging Congress to enact the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 2474) would apply a permanent inflation-based update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor. 

Safeguard Veteran Access to the Eye and Vision Care They Need and Deserve 
With eye and vision care ranking as the third-most requested service by Veteran patients, America’s Doctors of Optometry play a key role at the VA by providing roughly three-quarters of all eye and vision care services annually. With the VA admittedly struggling to keep up with demand for these vital services, the AOA and leading VSOs are urging Congress to ensure forthcoming Optometry National Standards of Practice recognize all care an optometrist is authorized by their state license to provide, to protect VA Community Care Program safeguards guaranteeing Veteran access to local doctors of optometry for all care – including laser and other office-based eye surgeries, and join VA and others in supporting the addition of VA Doctors of Optometry to the physician-dentist-podiatrist pay scale to help alleviate recruitment and retention issues threatening Veteran access to essential care. 

Stand Up to Online Seller Abuses By Closing the Contact Lens Verification Robocall Loophole 
While the FTC’s 2020 Contact Lens Rule updates recognize prescription verification robocalls are a serious and ongoing threat to patient health and safety, the robocall loophole continues to serve as a favorite tool of abusive online sellers looking to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. The Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety, of which AOA is a member, and leading consumer advocates are urging Congress to enact the Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act (H.R. 2748), which would close the robocall verification loophole and help curb serious eye and vision complications resulting from online sellers independently substituting different medical devices than was prescribed and fitted by their eye doctor.