The American Optometric Association (AOA) will host a virtual town hall meeting next to discuss updates regarding the organization's state and national efforts to rebalance the power between doctors and vision plans.
Let’s start with the basics.
The AOA is inviting all members of the eyecare community (AOA and non-AOA members included) to a webinar titled AOA Profession Wide Townhall on Reimbursement and Coverage Fairness to engage in conversation and listen to insights on commonly asked questions and concerns regarding vision plans in the United States.
Per an announcement, “The AOA and affiliates have been actively advocating for an equitable system that fairly values optometric care.”
Who’s moderating?
Jon Pederson, OD, former president of the Colorado Optometric Association (2017-2018) and in practice at Southglenn Eyecare in Centennial, Colorado.
When is it?
Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 9 pm EST.
So how do I register?
This is a pretty interesting topic of conversation …
Indeed it is. And a relevant one as well.
Across the country, legislation updates for vision plan protections have been a hot topic.
In fact, back in August 2023, a U.S. House Committee sent notice to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of an investigation over its regulation of the vision insurance market.
What other legislation has passed?
- Nebraska: LB 216 (introduced Jan. 10, 2023)
- Connecticut: Raised SB-899 (introduced Jan. 25, 2023)
- California: AB-765 (introduced Feb. 13, 2023)
- Massachusetts: Bill H.3606 (introduced March 9, 2023)
- Texas: HB 2324 (introduced March 9, 2023)
- Wisconsin: SB143 (introduced March 23, 2023)
- North Carolina: H576 (filed April 5, 2023)
- New Jersey: A-5445 (introduced May 15, 2023)
- New Jersey: S3841 (introduced May 15, 2023)
- Nevada: S.B.134
- Signed June 12, 2023 (effective October 1, 2023)
- Texas: H.B. 1696 with analysis here
- Signed June 16, 2023 (effective September 1, 2023)
Have any states sought to combat this?
Yes! In August 2023, Illinois passed the Vision Plan Regulation Act (SB0764), which prevents vision care organizations (VCOs) from requiring eye care providers (ECPs) to set required fees for vision services that are not covered within the plan.
See our coverage here.
Why was this so significant?
Well, it all harkens back to an earlier bill passed in 2021 (SB43) that defined proper fair trade practices for VCOs.
However, despite this bill, a loophole had permitted VCOs to require ECPs to offer discounts for non covered services.
And due to that loophole, one vision insurance company—VSP Vision Care—had continued to provide such discounts.
Ah, yes; VSP. Aren’t they caught up in a lawsuit?
Good memory.
Back in October 2023, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of San Diego, California-based Total Vision P.C. (a company comprising 59 independent optometry practices) in U.S. court against VSP Vision.
The gist of it: Total Vision accused the vision insurance company and a number of its complementary businesses of abusing its market power by restricting competition within the eyecare industry and pressuring practices to purchase products/services with inflated prices.
See here for our coverage.
So needless to say, there’s a lot to discuss at this webinar.
What does the AOA have to say about this?
Ronald L. Benner OD, president of the AOA, encouraged any ECP with concerns about how the vision plan industry views optometry to register for and participate in the organization's first-ever national town hall on reimbursement and coverage fairness.
"With the AOA and our affiliates leading the charge for new state and national laws to target and put a stop to plan abuses, it’s essential for us to gather reports from impacted doctors, share advocacy updates and, together, build new support for policy change," Dr. Benner stated.
*Disclaimer: The information provided in this article does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, materials available herein are for general information purposes only.