Prospectus
MEMBERSHIP NEWS & UPDATES
VOL. 41 | ISSUE 3 | 2015
Update on PAC & Keyperson
Chris Colburn, OD, NYSOA Immediate Past President, NYSOA/AOA PAC & Keyperson Chair One of the more enjoyable aspects of serving on the Executive Committee of NYSOA is working with our Executive Director and Consultants to advance our profession. There are many outside pressures affecting our patients and our businesses these days. State and Federal regulatory bodies like CMS and Medicare and the State Insurance Commissioner, for example, are playing larger roles with regard to how we access patients and even how we manage the patients we have. These regulators receive their authority by means of legislation. Fortunately NYSOA and AOA have been successful in New York and federally in protecting our ability to access patients and expanding that access as well.
is refreshing to sense a shift in the culture of our state legislature from pure power politics to issues of substance, the legislative landscape has not changed dramatically. We must continue to work within this landscape to advance the profession both in scope of practice and other realms.
The Department of Health and Human Services recently updated its’ guidance to insurers regarding their responsibility to take heed the legislative intent of the Harkin Amendment. Prior to that, CMS had taken a soft stance with respect to the anti-discrimination clause. The pressure to change the guidance came from legislators at the urging of AOA. Not to mention the inclusion of the provision in the massive Affordable Care Act in the first place.
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In New York we are finally making significant progress toward oral drug prescribing by optometrists. Our arguments regarding our didactic preparedness and clinical expertise have not changed. Our legislative tactics, however, have become more public and aggressive. In addition, some of our most supportive legislators have ascended to leadership positions in the state legislature. While it
Developing and maintaining personal relationships and supporting your legislative representatives is a required long-term endeavor if we are to continue to be successful in New York. The return is rarely immediate, but should a legislator perceive themselves to be between equally rational yet opposing positions, they are certainly more likely to support those that have supported them. Dr. Michele Lagana, NYSOA President, has asked me to expand our state and federal keypersons programs, and to expand our NYSOA-PAC and AOA PAC contributions. Each of your legislators is easily accessible in your district to discuss issues facing optometry.
| Inside | COUNCIL’S CORNER....................................................3 WELCOME TO ICD-10..................................................5 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.................................................5 MISSION TO NICARAGUA............................................7 NYSOA 2015 CVC CONTRIBUTOR LIST......................9 NYSOA 2015 PAC CONTRIBUTOR LIST....................13 JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION CARE.......................16 CHANGE IN POST OP CO- MANAGEMENT...............18 BOARD & PRESIDENT’S RETREAT.......................20