News and views on the regulatory, legislative, and political issues impacting ophthalmology in Washington, D.C., and around the United States
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Featured News
2027 Fee Schedule Proposes Cutting Pay to Physicians by 1.68%
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2027. Here are the highlights based on the Academy’s analysis. The Academy will work with our advocacy partners to ensure finalized policies support our members and their patients.
Refuting Optometry’s Misleading Claims Before Congress
The American Optometric Association presented several misleading claims Tuesday during a hearing in the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health to examine the Department of Veterans Affairs’ plans to establish national standards of practice for health care professions in VA health facilities. We set the record straight.
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September 18, 2023
Academy CEO Testifies to House Subcommittee on VA Eye Care
Academy CEO Stephen D. McLeod, MD, was among the leaders of organized medicine who testified Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, arguing for surgery by surgeons in VA health facilities.
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May 24, 2023
Surgical Scope Fund: Together We Champion Patient Safety
Your investment is crucial in helping us preserve quality eye care for patients and ensure that surgery is done by surgeons.
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April 26, 2023
House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Seeks Answers on National Standards
The Academy joined a roundtable Wednesday morning with other stakeholders to answer questions from lawmakers on the development of national standards of care in Veterans Health Administration facilities.
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March 15, 2023
Veterans Groups Join Academy Call to Preserve Quality Eye Care
National veterans service organizations expressed their support for the Academy’s efforts to preserve quality surgical eye care in the Veterans Health Administration during annual congressional hearings.
October 26, 2022
Academic Center Chairs Speak Up to Protect Quality Veteran Eye Care
Ophthalmology department chairs of several leading medical schools have sent letters to the VA undersecretary for health expressing concern for a recent change to community care guidelines.
October 19, 2022
Congress Presses VA Over Changes to Eye Surgery Safety Guidelines
Ophthalmologist and U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health expressing concern that the agency removed language from community care guidelines allowing only ophthalmologists to perform invasive procedures.
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September 27, 2022
Dangerous Optometric Surgery Bill Vetoed by California Governor
In a major victory for patient safety, California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed optometrists to perform complex eye surgeries with little to no training.
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February 16, 2022
Survey Reaffirms that Prior Authorization Disrupts Patients’ Care, Increase Administrative Burdens
Nine out of 10 physicians surveyed by the American Medical Association said for patients whose treatments required prior authorization, the process had a somewhat or significant negative effect on their clinical outcomes. The Academy continues to work with our members and partners to press for reform.
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January 4, 2022
Academy Continues to Press VA to Seek Appropriate Input on National Practice Standards
We’re concerned that new national standards would override state scope-of-practice laws and other veterans’ patient safety policies.
