Advocacy – Loud and Clear!
by Jill Liechty, IU Trustee-Elect
In the whirlwind of this past year, the field of optometry has endured some very challenging and difficult obstacles, from proposals that attempt to discriminate optometrists from accessing appropriate reimbursement from certain health plans, to restrictions directed to Medicaid patients that limit their access to optometric care. Health reform overwhelmingly remains to be the main debate and topic in the media, and the changes that occur will undoubtedly have an extremely strong impact on our profession. Lawmakers in Washington play a direct role in determining our scope of practice, issues regarding patient care, as well as provider reimbursement, so taking an active role in defending our profession is essential for the future success of optometry.
The Advocacy Conference held in Washington, D.C. was an experience which allowed doctors and students to come together to learn more about the numerous AOA-backed bills that defend our profession, as well as the opportunity to lobby our stance to the legislators on Capitol Hill. The main bills discussed were HR 1884, HR 2697, and HR 577/S.259, summarized below. If passed, these bills will provide protection from various groups such as insurance companies and organized medicine that very clearly have an anti-optometry agenda.
National Health Service Corps Improvement Act (HR1884)
- Serves to end the exclusion of optometrists from the National Health Service Corps program, which provides access to quality health care for millions of Americans in underserved communities.
- Offers a loan-repayment program for health care providers serving in underserved areas to help ease the burden of debt attributed to a professional education.
Optometric Equity in Medicaid Act (HR 2697)
- Ensures patient access to necessary optometric services by extending the non-discriminatory safeguards upheld in Medicare to the Federal Medicaid Statute.
Vision Care for Kids Act (HR 577/S.259)
- Provides more preventive vision care to children by authorizing $61 million for a Federal Grant Program to enhance children’s vision and learning programs in the US.
- Ensures children with vision problems that come from uninsured or non-Medicaid families are eligible to receive necessary optometric care.
Overall, the conference and lobbying experience on Capitol Hill was a huge success, and we hopefully obtained a significant amount of government-backed support on the bills that if passed, will enhance many different facets of our optometric careers. Many legislators were very receptive and understanding to our view on these critical issues, and we hope to return the next year with the same enthusiasm and determination that enabled us to successfully advocate for optometry.