Storms no match for optometry's force

More than 375 of optometry’s advocates assembled in Washington, D.C., March 15-17, to advance the AOA’s federal priorities with the nation’s health policy leaders as part of AOA on Capitol Hill | AOA Federal Keyperson Summit. The newly envisioned meeting harnessed the power of the AOA’s 500-strong Federal Keyperson Program.  

As AOA President Jacquie M. Bowen, O.D., opened the event, she told attendees: “You are the reason why AOA has been consistently recognized—every year for nearly 15 years—as one of the most respected and effective advocacy organizations in the nation’s capital.” 

That collective power was focused on four priority issues: 

Vision Benefit Middlemen (VBM) reforms 

Like other harmful health care benefit manager middlemen, VBMs have rigged a system that benefits them and their parent company at the expense of patients, independent doctors and local communities. Advocates encouraged their policy leaders to co-sponsor the DOC Access Act (H.R. 1521) and the Vision Lab Choice Act (S. 1716), which aim to combat costly, controlling and care-limiting VBM abuses. 

Meeting veterans' needs for eye, vision care 

Doctors of optometry, leading Veteran Service Organizations, and others are urging Congress to make clear to the VA that veterans need and deserve guaranteed access to the full range of care optometrists are trained and licensed to provide as the VA updates its Eye Care Directive and issues new Optometry National Standards of Practice. 

Protecting seniors' access to essential eye, vision care 

Advocates urged U.S. House and Senate members to support automatic, annual inflationary updates for doctors of optometry and other physicians by permanently tying Medicare pay to the Medicare Economic Index (H.R. 6160) and back H.R. 4559 to support vital Medicare Advantage pay and patient access reforms. 

Ensuring a safer, simpler RX verification system 

The Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act (H.R. 4282) would help make the contact lens prescription verification process simpler and safer for millions of Americans; attendees urged their policy leaders to co-sponsor the legislation. 

“We truly could not have picked a more important time to gather together here in the nation’s capital,” Dr. Bowen added. “While House and Senate leaders are increasingly turning their attention to health care policy challenges, our advocacy priorities are perfectly aligned for immediate action—from VBM reform, to Medicare pay, VA access to care, and medical device safety—we've got an important opportunity to make some real and lasting progress together over the next few days.” 

Ensuring the profession's loudest and largest impact is made in the halls of Congress 

Ahead of visiting Capitol Hill, participants were briefed on the issues through policy sessions with Capitol Hill leaders. Keypersons and seasoned advocates received training, developed strategies and aligned resources for advancing optometry’s federal priorities. 

Mary Katharine Ham, Fox News contributor, author and speaker and the host of two news podcasts, delivered a keynote address to inspire advocates for their Hill meetings. 

During the event, attendees also had the opportunity to participate in an important educational session. “Dry Eye Disease, Aesthetic Applications, and Botulinum Toxin: An Integrated Approach Using InMode Technology Workshop,” supported by InMode and presented by Bruce Dornn, O.D., and Jessica Cipriano, RN. Medical aesthetics is currently growing at approximately 12-14% annually through 2030. By comparison, traditional medical markets and device sectors are stabilizing at around 4-6%. For general primary care, it’s roughly a third of that pace. Even the broader elective health care market is growing around 9% and pharmaceuticals average about 6%. 

“As a profession, we have two responsibilities: to advocate for our ability to provide modern care that we are trained for and to practice it in our communities,” Dr. Bowen told participants. 

Honoring optometry’s champions 

AOA Healthcare Leadership Awards were presented to the following members of Congress: 

Rep. John Joyce, M.D., R-Fla. – As chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus and a leading voice on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Joyce has led the charge fighting back against the dangers of direct-to-consumer contact lens sellers. His actions led to the biggest fines in history against a dangerous industry actor. 

Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Calif. – The first congenitally blind member of Congress, Rep. Simon has led the charge against the abuses of VBMs and is a champion for early detection and treatment of vision and eye health issues among children. 

Rep. Jamie Comer, R-Ky. – As chair of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, Rep. Comer has deepened his probe into VBM abuses and is now pushing the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice to act to put a stop the growing abuses. 

Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis. – Rep. Fitzgerald is the chair of the U.S. House Judiciary Anti-Trust subcommittee and is continuing his push to expose VBM anti-trust concerns leading to concerning doctor tiering, patient steering, and aggressive acquisition tactics. 

Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., – A leading member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Castor was an early signer to the DOC Access Act and continues pushing to reform costly, controlling, and care-limiting VBM abuses. 

Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va. – As chair of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, Rep. Griffith is the lead sponsor of legislation to stop contact lens verification robocalls and was a leading lawmaker to push for the now-released U.S. Government Accountability Office report on VBM consolidation, vertical integration and harmful impacts on patients and their doctors of optometry. 

The AOA acknowledges and thanks its industry supporters for this event, including Arrellio, CooperVision, InMode and the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety.