State Advocacy
'High value' strategy sessions prep states’ advocacy
AOA, affiliate advocacy teams convened for a third year of state advocacy workshops to collaborate on best practices for advancing optometric care in their communities.
VBM abuses scrutinized by state policy think tank, U.S. Senate opens new investigation
The AOA and affiliates’ multi-pronged approach to achieving coverage and reimbursement fairness builds momentum with state legislators’ forums, while the newest Senate investigation brings the total number of federal VBM probes to three.
AOA, affiliates’ foundational advocacy work advancing optometry
States’ advocacy teams will convene across three regional advocacy meetings in the coming months to work toward advancing optometric care in their communities. See what’s on their agenda.
South Carolina judge overrules Visibly challenge to consumer protection law
The 8-year legal saga to protect South Carolinians’ eye health from substandard vision tests marked a favorable development as optometry’s advocates convened at Optometry’s Meeting®.
Equip to Expand Scope
Oklahoma secures optometry’s latest win over vision plan abuses
A new law in Oklahoma provides a check on abuses by dominant prepaid vision plans (vision benefit managers). Patients and doctors of optometry win.
What kind of impact is optometry making on the nation’s eye health?
New study by economists underscores the role of optometry and how scope of practice expansion bodes well for patients and doctors.
‘Profits over patients cannot continue’ with VBMs; Texas testifies at health insurance hearing
As Texas defends its landmark law curbing vision benefit managers (VBMs), doctors of optometry testify at a hearing on the state’s health insurance market.
Kentucky attorney general holds Warby Parker accountable for its online vision test
Enduring advocacy by the Kentucky Optometric Association regarding retailer’s online eye test shows results as its state attorney general reaches settlement with Warby Parker that results in a fine announced May 10.
New York assembly bill potentially sows division in health care
Focus should be on collective care and not burdening doctors of optometry who are providing patients with the benefit of their advanced education, training and care. Organized medicine has opposed the growing scope authority of optometrists around the country and the bill echoes recent efforts to stymie optometry’s effort to provide greater access to care by patients.
California warily watches ‘not-a-doctor’ wording in Senate bill
A recently amended California bill tackles who can and can’t be called a doctor in California. The California Optometric Association is on top of the issue, making sure the exclusionary wording does not apply to the state’s doctors of optometry. Not-a-doctor legislation emerged in several states last year, each effort defeated by optometry.