Volume 39 Number 1 2013
prospectus More Stuff You Should Know About By Thomas J. Landry, OD, President
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Letter from the President........................1
Can a Physician Delegate His or Her Powers?...............................2 Win for Optometry!.............................3 Save the Date! NYSOA Annual Meeting.................3 The Benefits of Interdisciplinary
Collaboration in Vision Rehab..........5
Optometry Student Corner.....................6 Low Vision Rehabilitation....................... 8
Expiration for Eyeglass Rx...................9
NYSOA Elections 2013.......................10 Regional Trustee Candidates...............11
Internet Discount Companies..............12 OD in Profile: Ida Chung.....................15 CDC & NYSOA Partner.....................16
2013 CVC Contributors.......................1 7 2013 NYSOA PAC Supporters............1 8 Welcome New Members!.....................1 9 Classified Ads.......................................1 9 Diet Rich in Nutrients Helps Promote Lifetime of Healthy Vision................21
PQRS Reporting..................................2 5 Medicare Overpayments......................2 6 Upcoming Events.................................2 7 Contact Information.............................2 7 NYSOA Business Partners...................2 7 Prospectus (ISSN 1055-7407) is published by the New York State Optometric Association, Inc., 119 Washington Avenue, 2nd Floor, Albany, NY 12210. All issues are electronic. Yearly subscriptions $25.00, single copies $5.50. The views and opinions expressed are those of the signed author and in no way should be construed to reflect the opinions or position of the editorial staff of Prospectus, or the New York State Optometric Association, its officers, local affiliate societies, or administrative staff. All submissions are subject to editorial change with regard to clarity or length. Final decision regarding acceptance or rejection of any submission lies with the editor.
In this issue of Prospectus I have asked our legal counsel, James Walsh, Esq. to write a piece for us regarding the delegation of procedures and responsibilities in your practice. This is information primarily for our colleagues in an employment situation Thomas Landry, OD or those who employ other optometrists. Jim has written a great article explaining New York State’s official position on this matter. What I really want to convey is that we are an independent licensed profession. You cannot “work under another doctor’s license.”
that the NYSOA and the AOA do for our members is keep track of the changes that will affect our practices. We have been informed that in 2013, all providers who bill with ophthalmology codes will be looked at. There will be more Medicare audits of our profession than ever before. Of course if you are billing and coding everything as allowed, you should have nothing to worry about.
Unfortunately, I frequently hear this when an optometrist is working for an ophthalmologist or in a medical setting. You cannot perform procedures or prescribe treatment that is beyond the scope of your license. Too often, optometrists are lead to believe that they can perform these procedures and write the prescriptions because the group they work for encourages them to do so. Exercise extreme caution and be aware of what you can and cannot do in your office. Optometrists (as well as MDs) need to be aware of what tasks can and cannot be delegated to employees in the office.
And a few issues NYSOA and AOA are actively looking at and hopefully you will hear more about from us in the future: • Pediatric screenings vs. comprehensive eye exams • Doctors/Professionals that are not eye care providers providing eye care • Internet sales of eyeglasses – this is a tough one that everyone needs to begin dealing with ASAP in their practice.
Our legal advisors always remind us that if there is a lawsuit, your malpractice insurance will not cover/defend you if you were performing a procedure outside the scope of our licensure. If you are not sure what you can and cannot do or delegate, feel free to call the NYSOA office. If you have questions for our legal counsel, please call NYSOA first so your question can be forwarded to the appropriate source. With all of the major changes in the health care system under the ACA, many of the participants, including optometrists will come under closer scrutiny. One of the many things
This is another alert for our employed colleagues. If your employer is billing Medicare for procedures that you perform, you are responsible for the proper level of billing. I would advise all employed optometrists to discuss this with their employer before it becomes an issue.
We will continue to lobby for legislative changes that will benefit your practice and keep alert for attempts to take away what we already have. We always hear from our legislators that they don’t hear from YOU! Have you contacted your legislators regarding something that concerns you as a health care provider or even as a taxpaying resident of New York? Many of the battles we wage can’t be fought just by the handful of officers for AOA and NYSOA. At your next society meeting, please take the time to ask your society president or trustee what you can do to help “our cause”. It won’t take that much out of your schedule. As always, thank you for giving your patients the best possible eye care that they deserve.