ADVOCACY
AOA addresses Eyebot technology
The AOA Federal Relations and Advocacy Action Committee and the New Technology Committee advocate for patient safety and greater regulation of potentially misleading diagnostic devices.
AOA member advocates to expand emergency training access for optometrists
AOA’s support helps Stop the Bleed program recognize doctors of optometry as qualified health care instructors.
Another win for VA doctors of optometry
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs affirms optometry’s physician-level recognition in latest regulation, a win for the whole profession.
How AOA advocacy keeps contact lens wearers fright free
Twenty-one years after the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act became law, the AOA continues to ensure that contact lenses are used safely by the public and urge a robust response by federal and state authorities to illegal and improper contact lens sales.
Aetna and Humana collaborate with AOA to exempt optometrists from auto- downcoding edits
AOA advocacy has resulted in a first-of-its-kind organizational agreement to eliminate certain automatic downcoding programs, which have been targeting optometry practices across the country.
AOA on Capitol Hill 2025: Live News Updates
Welcome to the official news hub for AOA on Capitol Hill 2025! Follow along with the AOA's exclusive coverage from optometry's single-largest federal advocacy event in Washington, D.C., and learn about the issues 600 of our colleagues championed on Capitol Hill.
AOA exposes and challenges VBM lobby group’s latest attacks on optometry
Under pressure from the AOA, the lobbying arm of the vision benefit middleman (VBM) industry—the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP)—has been forced to acknowledge and withdraw inaccurate claims it had been making on Capitol Hill about optometry and pro-patient/pro-doctor legislation.
Doctors questioning Superior Vision auto-enrollment with Davis Vision
Received a notice from Versant Health? Here’s what to know.
AOA cites EyeMed as a barrier to care and demands changes
The vision benefit middleman’s (VBM) impact on patients and practices, legal and lobbyist attacks and continuing refusal to fix unjustified clawbacks detailed by AOA Board of Trustees in letter to the company president.
Zelis lawsuit highlights broader optometrist payment concerns
The AOA continues fair payment advocacy.
5 myths—busted—about money, parties and politics in optometry’s advocacy
Your most common, controversial misperceptions about advocacy are explained as optometry’s advocates play myth-busters ahead of the AOA's single-largest federal advocacy event, AOA on Capitol Hill.
State champs
Legislative victories in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma underscore the fact that state-level advocacy is essential to curbing abuse by vision benefit managers.