Fall 2013 Prospectus

Volume 39Number 3

2013

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.

prospectusAn excellent program was presented by AOA Excel representatives at this year’s Optometry’s Meeting and I would like to share some of this valuable information with you.

Output Optometrists perform an estimated 88 million

refractive eye exams annually (85% of the total 104 million performed by all eyecare professionals) and prescribe at least 90% of vision correction devices. Comprehensive eye exams and corrective devices account for at least 80% of the optometrist’s revenue. Of the 97 million office visits in 2012, approximately 18 million were for medical eyecare services, accounting for approximately 17% of revenue. It is estimated that 80-85% of optometrists are involved with medical eyecare, but it is a major source of income in less than 25% of these offices. The typical patient is examined once every 25 months. AOA member surveys show that the average number of comprehensive exams optometrists perform per hour is around 1.1 per hour.

Out of the 82.5 million pairs of glasses sold annually, corporate providers provided 54%, independent optometrists provided 32%, ophthalmologists provided 10%, and

independent opticians provided 4%. Since independent optometrists perform 44% of refractive exams, they have a capture rate of approximately 73% or about 9.8 million pairs of glasses.

For contact lenses, optometrists provide about 90% of all contact lens prescriptions. It’s estimated that 16.1% of US adults wear contacts, a steady increase since the ‘70s, and account for 27% of the refractive exams performed by optometrists. Independent optometrists supply about 80% of their contact lens prescriptions.

Take home message: 1) Improve recall processes; 2) Upgrade eyewear purchase experience; 3) Broaden your scope of practice; 4) Increase hourly production; and 5) Differentiate the practice value proposition.

SupplyIn 2012, there were about 40,000 optometrists in practice as compared to about 18,000 ophthalmologists. At the end of 2012, optometrists accounted for 69% of eyecare professionals in practice, by 2020 they will account for around 72%. The number of practicing optometrists has had steady growth of 1.8%.

It is estimated that practicing optometrist growth will increase to approximately 2% annually through 2020 and reach 46,300. It’s also estimated that about 1,550 optometrists

The State of the Optometric Profession: 2013 Guest Editorial by Robert L. Owens, OD, FAAO, POA President

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

continued on page 9

Robert L. Owens, OD, FAAOPresident,Pennsylvania Optometric Associationwww.poaeyes.org

State of the Profession: 2013 ..................1Compliance date for new HIPAArules is September 23. .........2NYSOA Wint❄rFest 2014. .................2AOA defends ODs agains new attack on Harkin Law ............................ 3Wint❄rFest 2014 Program ..................5Optometry Student Corner ....................6Health insurance marketplace scheduled to open Oct. 1 ...................... 1 1Protect your practice with new AOA HIPPA notices ................122013 CVC Contributors ......................152013 NYSOA PAC Supporters ...........17Prepare now for key health IT milestones in 2014 ............................20Practitioners now have longer to pay back overcharges to Medicare ..........21ODs can easily avoid PQRS pay penalties with AMD codes ..............22Last 2013 Medicare EHR reporting period begins Oct. 1 .........23Upcoming Events ................................26Welcome New Members! ....................26Contact Information ............................27NYSOA Business Partners ..................27

Volume 30Number 3

20132

New rules for the updated Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule are effective September 23, 2013. The federal rule applies to health care providers, health plans and other covered entities and their business associates.

New RuleThe revisions, announced in March 2013 and effective September 23, require the following steps:

•Conduct a security risk assessment;•Revise existing privacy, security, and breach notification

policies and procedures;•Make copies of those revised privacy policies available

to patients;•Amend business associate agreements to reflect the new

regulations; and•Retrain practice staff on the revised policies.

The new rule prohibits the sale of federally protected patient health information (PHI), and prohibits the use of PHI for marketing purposes without authorization from the patient.

In addition, a patient may request a practice to withhold disclosure of PHI related to a particular service to a health plan if the patient has paid for the service out-of pocket. Federal law requires practitioners to provide all patients with notices if the measures taken to protect patient information. Failure to provide the required HIPAA notices or meet standards may result in investigations and possible civil or criminal penalties.

HIPAA ResourcesAOA is providing resources to help optometrists follow the mandatory HIPAA rules, including a newly developed HIPAA Compliance Section of the AOA website. Resources include:

•Updated AOA HIPAA Security Regulation Compliance Manual (available free of charge to AOA members);

•Sample HIPAA Business Associate Agreement;•Sample HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, developed

by the AOA Office of Counsel for use in optometric practices, which are available to order.

Compliance date for new HIPAA rules is September 23

A Fun-Filled,Family-FriendlyWeekend in Lake Placid!

Join the New York State Optometric Association for

Education... Recreation... Socialization...

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Education: January 31-February 2NYSOA Annual Meeting: February 1-2

Wint❆rFest 2014

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New York State Optometric Association119 Washington AvenueSecond FloorAlbany, New York 12210

What’s in it for you?Earn 11 hours of COPE-Approved continuing education with CE-NY courses.

Enjoy all Lake Placid has to offer with your family, friends and colleagues. Join optometrists from throughout the state during the NYSOA Annual Meeting festivities.

Find out more at www.nysoa.org.

february meeting.indd 2 8/11/13 7:38 PM

3

The AOA swiftly organized opposition to a bill that

would repeal the Harkin law, a landmark provider

nondiscrimination provision.

The recently introduced H.R. 2817 would undo the

progress the Harkin law has made for optometrists,

other providers and their patients. H.R. 2817 is

backed by ophthalmology and the American Medical

Association. The bill was introduced by Rep. Andrew

Harris, M.D., of Maryland, an anesthesiologist serving

his second term.

In response, the AOA mobilized a friendly coalition

of 20 organizations, including the American Dental

Association, committed to defeating the bill. The

Patients’ Access to Responsible Care Alliance

(PARCA) represents the interests of millions of health

care providers and the patients they serve. The group

drafted a letter urging lawmakers to oppose HR. 2817.

The letter stresses the importance of the Harkin law

in targeting unfair policies that limit patient access to

needed care.

The Harkin law is the first-ever federal ban on

discrimination against ODs by health insurers,

including Employee Retirement Income Security Act

(ERISA) plans with a long history of bias. Originally

authored by Sen. Tom Harkin (recipient of the 2013

AOA Apollo Award), the law was enacted in 2010.

Whether anti-optometry groups like it or not, millions

more Americans are gaining access to their local

doctor of optometry because a new federal law we

fought for specifically targets the discriminatory

and anti-competitive practices of health plans,” said

Mitchell T. Munson, O.D., AOA president. “Both

Republicans and

Democrats have

supported us

in the decades-

long struggle to assure fairness and patient choice

in the delivery of the essential health care services

optometrists provide, and we’ll continue our efforts in

Washington, D.C., to ensure that continues. In fact, if

we have to take on and defeat organized medicine all

over again on this issue, then so be it.”

The Fight ContinuesThe Harkin law targets health insurance plans that

have at times made it policy to deny coverage for

the services of doctors of optometry and other

health care providers in a purported effort to contain

costs. Medical groups and insurers fought the

Harkin amendment at each step of a nearly two-year

legislative process. They have renewed the fight in

recent months as federal agencies have prepared for

full implementation.

Nevertheless, the Harkin law remains on track to

provide consumers with greater access to local

optometrists of their choice.

“The AOA is ready, willing and able to fight back,”

Dr. Munson added.

AOA members can read the latest from the AOA

Advocacy Super Conference and contact their

representatives in Congress to speak out against H.R.

2817. To learn more about this issue, supporting AOA-

PAC or joining the Federal Keyperson program, email

Jon Hymes, AOA Washington office director, or call

800-365-2219.

AOA defends ODs against new attack on Harkin law

The AOA is ready, willing and able to fight back.

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† WARNING: UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses, because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long-term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses are indicated for vision correction. As with any contact lens, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. Consult the package insert for complete information. Complete information is also available from VISTAKON® Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., by calling 1-800-843-2020 or by visiting acuvueprofessional.com.ACUVUE®, 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST®, and VISTAKON® are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. © Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2013 ACU-39307Z January 2013

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5

Wint❆rFest 2014CE-NY Education: January 30-February 2

NYSOA Annual Meeting: February 1-2 High Peaks Resort, Lake Placid, New York

Earn up to 11 hours of COPE-approved CE!

Preliminary ScheduleThursday, January 303:00-4:00 Mark Dunbar, OD My Most Interesting Cases4:00-5:00 Mark Dunbar, OD Understanding and Interpreting OCT5:00-6:00 Mark Dunbar, OD Your Ticket to Optimal Posterior Segment Disease Treatment & Management TBA Evening Reception

Friday, January 317:30-8:30 Mark Dunbar, OD The Battle of Resistance8:30-9:30 Patricia Modica, OD Approaching the Patient with Diplopia 4:00-5:00 Joseph Sowka, OD Glaucoma Pharmacology: Prescribing for the Patient5:00-6:00 Joseph Sowka, OD Identifying Glaucoma Progression

Saturday, February 17:30-9:30 Patricia Modica, OD & Joseph Sowka, OD Current Prospective in Neuro-Opthalmic Disease4:00-6:00 Chrisit Llerena, OD New Approaches to Amblyopic Patients: Adults and Children6:30-7:00 NYSOAHouseofDelegates,ElectionofNewOfficersTBA Evening NYSOA Annual Award Event

Sunday, February 28:00-12:00 NYSOA Annual Meeting

Pricing*

NYSOA/AOA Member NonmemberFull Conference (11 hours CE) $235 $425

Thursday PM / Friday All Day (7 hours CE) $140 $290

Friday PM / Saturday All Day (6 hours CE) $125 $260

Any 4 hours CE $100 $175

A la carte - cost per CE hour $35 $50

*Pricing inclusing of CE courses. Registration and details soon to follow

Volume 30Number 3

20136

By the middle of my first month at SUNY last fall, I was already trying to figure out how to spend the summer. It was daunting when I realized that this would be my last summer off for the foreseeable future. Would I spend it relaxing in New York City taking in all the sights I had missed out on because of studies, or would I return to my hometown to save on rent? Or would I travel the country and

visit friends from college? I even looked into visiting a good friend who was being sent to Germany for six months for a job. The last thing on my list was seeking an internship, and yet it was what I eventually decided was best for me by March of the spring semester.

My first day can be best described as eye-opening and humbling. I watched in amazement as the testers performed autorefraction, NCT, FDT, retinal imaging, optomaps, auto-lensometry, contact lens questionnaires, dialed in the patient’s Rx into the phoropter, brought up the images, and cleaned down the instruments in under 15 minutes on a consistent basis. My first attempt doing all of this solo, after a year of schooling, was somewhere around 22 minutes. I then received training on notifying patients when contact lenses and glasses come in, inputting codes into the system, finding charts, answering phones and making appointments. I watched the front desk explain the paperwork to a patient while also answering questions for another patient on the phone and never make a mistake. I felt incredibly inexperienced on everything involving insurance and would constantly have to transfer the patient

to someone else who could help. I left my first day truly appreciating the fact that the exam is only a portion of the experience for the patient. A large portion of the success in a practice involves the two or three people the patient meets before seeing the doctor, as well as the two or three people who they meet on their way out the door.

After one week of seeing approximately 15-20 full patients a day, I saw that I had achieved the 15-minute pre-testing, but was still afraid of answering the phones. However, the phones constantly rang, and throughout the entire summer the staff was more than happy to help ensure I did not make mistakes when making appointments.

Optometry Student CornerBy Matt Roe,NYSOA Student Society Vice-President

Matt Roe,NYSOA Student

Society Vice-President

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*AIR OPTIX® AQUA (lotrafilcon B) and AIR OPTIX® AQUA Multifocal (lotrafilcon B) contact lenses: Dk/t = 138 @ -3.00D. AIR OPTIX® NIGHT & DAY® AQUA (lotrafilcon A) contact lenses: Dk/t = 175 @ -3.00D. AIR OPTIX® for Astigmatism (lotrafilcon B) contact lenses: Dk/t = 108 @ -3.00D -1.25 x 180. **Compared to ACUVUE^ OASYS,̂ ACUVUE^ ADVANCE,̂ PureVision,̂ Biofinity^ and Avaira^ contact lenses. †Superior lipid deposit resistance compared to ACUVUE^ OASYS,̂ ACUVUE^ ADVANCE,̂ PureVision,̂ Biofinity^ and Avaira^ contact lenses. ††Image is for illustrative purposes and not an exact representation. T̂rademarks are the property of their respective ownersImportant information for AIR OPTIX® AQUA (lotrafilcon B), AIR OPTIX® AQUA Multifocal (lotrafilcon B) and AIR OPTIX® for Astigmatism (lotrafilcon B) contact lenses: For daily wear or extended wear up to 6 nights for near/far-sightedness, presbyopia and/or astigmatism. Risk of serious eye problems (i.e., corneal ulcer) is greater for extended wear. In rare cases, loss of vision may result. Side effects like discomfort, mild burning or stinging may occur.Important information for AIR OPTIX® NIGHT & DAY® AQUA (lotrafilcon A) contact lenses: Indicated for vision correction for daily wear (worn only while awake) or extended wear (worn while awake and asleep) for up to 30 nights. Relevant Warnings: A corneal ulcer may develop rapidly and cause eye pain, redness or blurry vision as it progresses. If left untreated, a scar, and in rare cases loss of vision, may result. The risk of serious problems is greater for extended wear vs. daily wear and smoking increases this risk. A one-year post-market study found 0.18% (18 out of 10,000) of wearers developed a severe corneal infection, with 0.04% (4 out of 10,000) of wearers experiencing a permanent reduction in vision by two or more rows of letters on an eye chart. Relevant Precautions: Not everyone can wear for 30 nights. Approximately 80% of wearers can wear the lenses for extended wear. About two-thirds of wearers achieve the full 30 nights continuous wear. Side Effects: In clinical trials, approximately 3-5% of wearers experience at least one episode of infiltrative keratitis, a localized inflammation of the cornea which may be accompanied by mild to severe pain and may require the use of antibiotic eye drops for up to one week. Other less serious side effects were conjunctivitis, lid irritation or lens discomfort including dryness, mild burning or stinging. Contraindications: Contact lenses should not be worn if you have: eye infection or inflammation (redness and/or swelling); eye disease, injury or dryness that interferes with contact lens wear; systemic disease that may be affected by or impact lens wear; certain allergic conditions or using certain medications (ex. some eye medications). Additional Information: Lenses should be replaced every month. If removed before then, lenses should be cleaned and disinfected before wearing again. Always follow the eye care professional’s recommended lens wear, care and replacement schedule. Consult package insert for complete information, available without charge by calling (800) 241-5999 or go to myalcon.com.References: 1. In vitro measurement of contact angles on unworn lenses; significance demonstrated at the 0.05 level; Alcon data on file, 2009. 2. Nash W, Gabriel M, Mowrey-McKee M. A comparison of various silicone hydrogel lenses; lipid and protein deposition as a result of daily wear. Optom Vis Sci. 2010;87: E-abstract 105110. 3. Ex vivo measurement of lipid deposits on lenses worn daily wear through manufacturer recommended replacement period; CLEAR CARE® Cleaning and Disinfecting Solution used for cleaning an disinfection; significance demonstrated at the 0.05 level; Alcon data on file, 2008.See product instructions for complete wear, care, and safety information.© 2012 Novartis 12/12 AOA13002JAD

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Would you recognize this potentially life-threatening genetic disease?

• Fabry disease is a progressive, inherited disorder that affects men, women and children of all ethnicities

• Fabry disease can lead to life-threatening renal, cardiac, and cerebrovascular complications

• Approximately 90% of patients with Fabry disease exhibit corneal verticillata (whorl-like radial lines emanating from a single vortex)1

• Ocular manifestations are detectable by slip lamp examination and typically do not affect vision

• Other signs and symptoms include pain in the extremities, impaired sweating, heat intolerance, fatigue, hearing loss, and gastrointestinal distress

• If you identify a patient with Fabry disease, family testing should be considered

You could change the course of a patient’s life by identifying Fabry Disease

References1 Franceschetti A. Fabry’s disease: ocular manifestations. In: Bergsma D, Bron AJ, Cotlier E (eds).

The Eye and Inborn Errors in Metabolism. Vol. 12, No. 3. New York: AR Liss Co., 1976: 195-208.

Eye images used with permission. RL Abbott, MD

A geneticist can help establish a definitive diagnosis of Fabry disease and provide information on intervention.

Don’t wait, learn more today by visiting www.fabrycommunity.com/eye

Corneal opacity (corneal verticillata or vortex keratopathy) in Fabry disease.

Eye ad Optometric Society newsletter FINAL.indd 1 9/18/2012 3:44:11 PM

9

will graduate and enter practice annually while about 750 optometrists will retire. There will also be an expected gender shift. Over the next ten years, 65% of new optometrists will be females and 90% of retiring optometrists will be males. Currently, the male/female ratio is 61%/39%; in 2022, it is likely to be a 48%/52% ratio.

Approximately 57% of optometrists are in private practice, 24% have an optical chain affiliation; 8% are in an ophthalmology practice; and 5% are in other medical practices.

The number of practicing optometrists will grow faster than routine vision care demand (a projected 11% vs. 9% through 2020) but more slowly than the demand for medical eyecare (a projected increase in cataracts [2.3%], diabetic retinopathy, POAG, ARMD [1.8% each] through 2020). Presently, optometrists perform approximately 45% of Medicare-reimbursed comprehensive eye exams. The Census Bureau projects a 28% increase in individuals over 55 years of age between 2010 and 2020, while the total populations will grow by about 10%.

… Optometry’s largest opportunity is to increase eyecare demand among existing patients, expanding care to the elderly and other populations at risk for treatable diseases.

A Historical ReviewOptometry’s scope of practice continues to broaden…1897: First bill introduced to license optometrists in New York1901: First law licensing optometrists enacted in Minnesota1921: Last state law licensing optometrists enacted in Texas (D.C. enacted in 1924)1923: Pennsylvania College of Optometry awarded first Doctor of Optometry degree1971: First state law allowing the use of diagnostic drugs enacted in Rhode Island1976: First state law allowing Rx of legend drugs enacted in W. Virginia (and on a veto override)1976: First state authorizing Tx of glaucoma enacted in W. Virginia 1977: First state authorizing Rx of oral drugs enacted in North Carolina1997: Last state authorizing Rx of legend drugs enacted in

Massachusetts (D.C. in 1998)1998: Authority to use therapeutic lasers enacted in Oklahoma2011: Kentucky legislature becomes the first state to repeal a statutory prohibition on the performance of surgery by optometrists and the second state to authorize the use of therapeutic lasers2013: Pediatric exams (and materials) decreed as an essential yearly health benefit, as the result of AOA legislative activity2014: Under the ACA, increased insurance enrollment will expand accessibility to optometric eyecare

…As you can see, we are a legislated profession and we can thank organized optometry for progressing optometry forward. Be involved as a volunteer and as a donator to PAC funds to assure the continued evolution of your profession…as newly elected AOA trustee Dr. Greg Caldwell says, ” for the love of optometry.”

The State of the Optometric Profession, continuedcontinued from page 1

EDUCATION: MARCH 14-17, 2013EXHIBITION: MARCH 15-17, 2013New York, NY | Javits Center

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11

Many optometrists across the nation are now receiving

solicitations from insurance companies regarding

participation in exchange-based health plans with an

embedded pediatric vision essential health benefit as

mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

As with all insurance programs, practitioners should

thoroughly review provider participation agreements for the

new plans, assessing the contract terms carefully, according

to the AOA Third Party Center. For assistance, contact

[email protected].

The insurers offering plans through the new marketplaces

will generally be well-established companies such as Blue

Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, or UnitedHealth.

“It will be up to those insurance companies to determine if

they will use their existing provider networks for the new

plans they offer through health insurance exchanges or if

they will establish distinct new provider networks for their

exchange-based plans. In some cases, insurance companies

may issue separate contracts to health care practitioners

for their new exchange-based plans, some of which will

likely include lower reimbursement rates,” said Stephen

Montaquila, O.D., chair of the AOA Third Party Center

Executive Committee.

Offers to become participating providers in exchange-

based plans will come from insurance companies, not the

management of the exchanges.

“Many health care practitioners are under the impression

that the exchanges are new payers providing insurance

and contracting with doctors,” Dr. Montaquila said. “The

exchanges have little, if anything, to do with provider

contracting.”

Through the exchanges, private insurance carriers will

offer plans meeting specified criteria. Uninsured people

will be able to log onto exchange websites, modeled after

travel sites such as Travelocity or Expedia, review the

plans offered by the various insurance companies and then

purchase a policy online. Many exchanges will offer 800

telephone lines and “walk-in” offices as well.

Of the 51 health insurance marketplaces being developed

across the U.S., 17 will be state-based exchanges, 27

will federally facilitated exchanges, and seven will be

“partnership” exchanges, developed jointly by state and

federal government.

Specifics on the federally facilitated exchanges had not

been announced at press time. However, websites for all

state-based and partnership exchanges can be accessed

now on the “Your State Marketplace” page of the federal

government’s Health Care Reform web portal (http://tinyurl.com/insurancemarketplace). The HHS also offers

a state-by-state health insurance exchange locator (www.healthcare.gov/marketplace/individual).

Optometrists can visit the websites to find contact

information, organizational structure for the exchanges, and

some information on how to apply to become providers.

State optometric associations may provide additional

information on exchanges for their members.

Multi-state plans will be available in 31 states in 2014 and

in all states by 2017. Multi-state plans were created through

the ACA to address the lack of competition in the individual

health insurance market. Multi-state plans will be operated

by the federal Office of Personnel Management, which is

the entity that runs health insurance programs for Congress

and federal employees. All multi-state plans must cover the

same pediatric vision services for children.

AOA members can access a number of resources, including

answers to frequently asked questions, to help explain the

new insurance marketplaces and assess participation in

these plans at http://tinyurl.com/AOAhealthreform.

News from the AOA

Health insurance marketplaces scheduled to open Oct. 1

EDUCATION: MARCH 14-17, 2013EXHIBITION: MARCH 15-17, 2013New York, NY | Javits Center

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EDUCATES MORE OPTOMETRISTS THAN ANY OTHER EYECARE CONFERENCE Delivers the knowledge and information to ensure you practice to the fullest extent of your license

AN AFFORDABLE AND FUN EXPERIENCE Discounts for hotels, travel, entertainment and free parties

FOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR PATIENTS. FOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR PRACTICE.

JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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USE PRIORITY CODE WL22 OR WWW.VISIONEXPOEAST.COM/NYSOA

12 Volume 39Number 3

2013

Federal privacy protection standards have become more stringent. Make sure your practice is up to date with the AOA’s new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Notice of Privacy Practice forms.

The new form reflects changes to HIPAA. Using it is one way to make sure you are in compliance with new rules, which technically took effect in March. You have until Sept. 23 to comply.

To avoid penalties related to notices, take these steps:

1. Order new noticesNew HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practice forms are available from the AOA Marketplace. To order, email [email protected]. Or call the AOA Marketplace at 800-262-2210 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CDT, Monday through Friday. Include your member number to qualify for a discount.

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practice forms are sold in pads of 100 and include acknowledgement of receipt slips. Pricing is:

• 100 forms for $42 (members) or $63 (non-members)

• 500 forms for $65 (members) or $97.50 (non-members)

• 1,000 forms for $110 (members) or $165 (non-members)

• Imprinting available for an additional $8 per pad

2. Provide new notices to patientsProvide an updated HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practice to all patients. For new patients, distribute the notice during the first office visit. For existing patients, make the new policy available upon request.

3. Post copies in person and onlinePost a copy of the updated notice in a prominent location in your practice and on the practice website.

4. Stop using old noticesCease use of any old HIPAA privacy practice notice, but retain a copy along with any written acknowledgments of receipt from patients.

The AOA HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practice form was developed by the AOA Office of General Counsel in conjunction with HIPAA experts at the nationally recognized law firm of Stinson Morrison Hecker. It is offered as a resource but is not intended to suit all optometry practices or to constitute legal advice.

Be sure to review the form with your legal counsel to ensure it reflects any applicable state privacy protection regulations and the actual privacy protection measures taken in your practice.

HIPAA resourcesThe new HIPAA Compliance section of the AOA website at www.aoa.org/optometrists/tools-and-resources/hipaa-compliance (member login required to view) includes:

• Updated AOA HIPAA Security Regulation Compliance Manual (available free of charge to AOA members)

• Sample HIPAA Business Associate Agreement• Sample HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices,

developed by the AOA Office of Counsel for use in optometric practices, which are available to order by calling 800-262-2210.

On the AOAExcel™ HIPAA page at www.excelod.com (member login required to view):

• AOA White Paper: Updated HIPAA Regulations-What Optometrists Need to Know, with questions and answers about the privacy regulations.

News from the AOA

Protect your practice with new AOA HIPAA notices

The Allergan Commitment to Optometry Is Stronger Than Ever. With new programs designed for doctors at every phase of their career, there are more ways for us to work together than ever before.

Visit AllerganOptometry.com to access a world of possibilities for your practice.

©2013 Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA 92612 ® and ™ marks owned by Allergan, Inc. zymAxId® is licensed from Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. APC05mW13 130367

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What if you could generate more opportunities to connect with patients and earn more? You can, through a game-changing business model called Premier.

Get on the path to Premier. To learn more, visit pathtopremier.com or call any one of your VSP Global® Representatives.

15Thank you to our 2013 CVC Contributors!*

Diane T. Adamczyk, ODFaye D. Algranati, OD

Matthew Allen, ODKathy L. Allen-Aquilante, OD

Robert J. Ancona, ODLori E. Arbital, ODSamuel Arbital, OD

Judith Archibold, ODBrent D. Arnold, ODAlan M. Bagun, ODJerry L. Baker, OD

Stephen M. Baker, ODFrancesco J. Barbarossa, OD

Sherry J. Bass, ODJustin Bazan, OD

Robert E. Behan, ODViktorya Belenkova, OD

Edward Berger, ODMichael J. Benyo, OD

Andrew Bienstock, ODJoseph C. Biondolillo, OD

Brian E. Bleiler, ODSteven Bloom, OD

Juliana E. Boneta, ODCarolee R. Boyd, OD

Kenneth Braunstein, ODNancy M. Bulas-Wadas, OD

Brandon Butler, ODTheodore J. Calabrese Jr., OD

Jeffrey Calhoun, ODGina M. Cardone, OD

Jill C. Chafitz, ODThomas Chao, ODDavid B. Chau, OD

Vicki L. Chenarides, ODLillian F. Chin, ODPaul M. China, OD

Ida Chung, ODDawn Chivers, OD

Gee Hyun Chun, ODBenjamin Chudner, OD

David Ciccone, ODIra Clement, OD

Allen H. Cohen, ODJennifer Colavito, OD

Christopher J. Colburn, ODDaniel Colino, ODJason Compton, OD

Timothy L. Comstock, ODJoseph D. Conigliaro, OD

Vanessa Conenna, ODJeannette Cooper, OD

Jeffrey Cooper, ODEdward V. Cordes, OD

Christopher S. Couzins, ODShoshana B. Craig, OD

Alexander R. Crinzi, ODAngela M. Croteau, ODJennifer Cummings, OD

Errol S. Daniels, ODSara Dawson, OD

David J. Dexter, ODChristopher Digiorgio, OD

Anne M. Downey, ODDavid P. Dozack, ODPaul R. Edelman, OD

Tybee Eleff, ODRita Ellent, OD

Marina Epelman Meyerowitz, ODThomas M. Erichson, OD

Burt S. Eschen, ODJack Facchin, OD

Barry J. Farkas, ODDaniel T. Farkas, OD

Doron Feder, ODHarvey O. Feldman, OD

Brian Fengel, ODDespina S. Fikaris, OD

B. Scott Fine, ODSusan S. Fisher, OD

Robert S. Fox, ODJack Fried, OD

Richard A. Frio, ODGregory Gaglioti, ODPaul R. Galstian, OD

Joseph P. Gambacorta, ODSteven J. Ganz, OD

Angela E. Gardner, ODIlana Gelfond-Polnariev, OD

Robert H. Geula, ODValerie A. Giangrande, OD

Maria Gibbons, ODSteven Givner, ODDavid Girardi, OD

Gwenda R. Gnadt, ODRonald S. Goldstein, ODTraci M. Goldstein, ODTimothy J. Grace, OD

Vincent B. Graniero, ODMarina Grapp, OD

Robert J. Grasso, ODIsrael Greenwald, ODPeter F. Guidara, OD

Thomas S. Gullotti, ODVadim Guy, OD

William Halpin, ODDemetra Hamakiotes, OD

Paula Handell, ODBruce R. Hankin, OD

Gary Hanley, ODElizabeth S. Harvey, OD

Paul E. Harvey, ODKimberly Heiligman, ODSarah S. Helgeson, ODElizabeth Hetrick, ODGary Holtzberg, OD

Mitchell Horowitz, OD

Steven N. Ihrig, ODCheryl S. Israeloff, ODNadine M. Jamal, ODDanielle James, ODBarri J. Jones, OD

Arthur D. Jung, ODAllen I. Kaplan, ODJordan Kassalow, OD

Sanford J. Katims, ODRichard S. Kavner, OD

Jaime L. Kenny, ODMili Khanna, OD

Daniel Kirchheimer, ODBarry T. Kissack, OD

Sarah Boulais Klein, ODLinda M. Kleinhenz, OD

Roy A. Kline, ODMartin Kornblatt, OD

David M. Krumholz, ODKristen Krummenacker, OD

Jeffrey Kraushaar, ODRichard B. Krzyzak, OD

Martin Kusnetz, ODMichele A. Lagana, ODMichael V. Landy, ODWilliam J. Lapple, OD

Eric W. Lau, ODAlan S. Lax, OD

William J. Leahey, ODKathy Lee, OD

Gary A. LeeSue, ODRobert J. Lehrer, OD

David L. Leibstein, ODPatti L. Leonard, OD

Michael B. Levinson, ODLawrence Z. Levy, OD

Steven Lobel, ODLaurence Lonky, ODMartin S. Losito, ODStella S. Lou Lee, ODTodd H. Lustig, OD

Diana Ma, ODJason K. MacLaughlin, OD

*Contributions through September 30, 2013

Volume 30Number 3

201316

Michael Madigan, ODRichard J. Madonna, OD

Marilyn Mann, ODAnthony Marinelli, ODGary F. Marrone, OD

Marie A. Marrone, ODKatherine M. Mastrota, OD

J. Kent Maurer, ODJohn J. Maurillo, ODMark R. Maxon, OD

Lindsay May, ODRobert P. McCormick, ODMichael J. McGovern, OD

Bradley R. Meltzer, ODPeter J. Micca, OD

Maria A Michalski, ODBari Miller, OD

Dean M. Miller, ODLawrence D. Miller, OD

Arlene Minkoff, ODDaniel S. Mirkin, ODJason W. Moore, ODScott I. Morrison, ODJames O. Morse, ODEdward Moylan, ODJoseph J. Mueller, ODRebecca A. Nally, OD

David L. Naparstek, ODCharles H. Neu, ODVaishali Nigam, OD

Michael J. O’Connor, ODMaureen O’Dwyer, ODSteven A. Ohlbaum, OD

Kristin Orabone, ODEric Orava, OD

David S. Orenstein, ODCatherine Pace-Watson, OD

Gina Parsloe, ODJohn Richard Paskowski, OD

Viren R. Patel, ODRalph Paternoster, OD

Lucia Patino, ODBrian D. Peralta, ODAlec J. Perlson, OD

Elisa B. Perreault, ODVernon A. Peryea, ODBenjamin P. Peters, OD Frank Pirozzolo, OD

Raymond Pirozzolo, ODJohn P. Plow, OD

Roman Polishchuk, ODSebastian A. Polizzi, OD

Joan K. Portello, ODSophie Poselle,OD

Ronald H. Poulin, ODBrian Powell, OD

Carolyn Powell-Rivers, ODElizabeth H. Pradhan, OD

Ira M. Price, ODRichard S. Price, ODAmi C. Ranani, OD

John Ray, ODFran L. Reinstein, ODBarbara L. Reiss, ODSusan A. Resnick, OD

Sheldon S. Retkinski, ODScott J. Richter, OD

Brian M. Rogoff, ODMiriam M. Rolf, OD

Debbie C. Roodner, ODDeborah S. Rose, ODKevin D. Rosin, OD

Theresa Rostkowski, ODJeffrey M. Roth, OD

Neil Rubin, ODJohn Rundquist, OD

Laurie Runnerstrom, ODDaniella Rutner, ODAndrew J. Sacco, ODDenise Samaroo, OD

Denise D. Saunders, ODDavid E. Sausner, OD

Leonard J. Savedoff, ODCatherine Scandiffio, OD

Jeff Schafer, ODDaniel E. Scheg, ODTerry R. Scheid, OD

Alan B. Schlussel, OD

Steven Schoenbart, ODElliot Schwartz, OD

Steven H. Schwartz, ODMatthew E. Sendker, OD

Aarti K. Sharma, ODMary Rita Sheehy, OD

Melanie B. Sheinheit, ODEui-Hyun Shin, OD

Christopher W. Shiomos, ODMargaret M. Siegrist, OD

Jennifer Small, ODLauren Smith, OD

Duane R. Snyder, ODRichard M. Soden, ODMichael P. Spellicy, ODLaura C. Sperazza, OD

Thank you to our 2013 CVC Contributors!*

A revolution in personalization, Varilux S 4D™ lenses are the most sophisticated level of advancement in the Varilux S Series™ portfolio. Only 4D Technology™ factors in the leading dominant eye for faster visual reaction time.

Ranked #1 on every lens feature by real patients in independent studies.

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©2013 Essilor of America, Inc. All rights reserved. Essilor and Varilux are registered trademarks of Essilor International. Varilux S Series and Varilux S 4D are trademarks of Essilor International.

ExpERiEncE fAStER ViSUAl REAction timE

IntroducIng a revolutIon In progressIve lenses

17

*Contributions through September 30, 2013

Thank you to the following optometrists who have supported NYSOA PAC in 2013!*

Original photo of New York State Capitol Building courtesy of the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Elias S. Abboud, ODDiane T. Adamczyk, OD

Valerie L. Albert, ODFaye D. Algranati, OD

Matthew Allen, OD Kathy L. Allen-Aquilante, OD

Robert J. Ancona, ODLori E. Arbital, ODSamuel Arbital, OD

Judith A. Archer, ODJudith Archibold, ODBrent D. Arnold, ODAlan M. Bagun, ODJerry L. Baker, OD

Stephen M. Baker, ODFrancesco J. Barbarossa, OD

Sherry J. Bass, ODJustin Bazan, OD

Robert E. Behan, ODViktorya Belenkova, OD

Michael J. Benyo, ODEdward Berger, OD

Brian K. Berliner, ODAndrew Bienstock, OD

Joseph C. Biondolillo, ODTeresa Blackstone, ODBrian E. Bleiler, ODSteven Bloom, OD

Casimir K. Bobowski, ODJuliana E. Boneta, ODCarolee R. Boyd, OD

Kenneth Braunstein, ODAndrea J. Britvan, ODAnne Brunenavs, ODDaniel Brunenavs, OD

Brandon Butler, ODPaul Caito, OD

Theodore J. Calabrese, Jr., ODJeffrey Calhoun, OD

Gina M. Cardone, ODEric R. Carson, ODJill C. Chafitz, ODThomas Chao, ODDavid B. Chau, OD

Vicki L. Chenarides, ODTiffany Cheng, ODLillian F. Chin, ODPaul M. China, OD

Dale Ching, ODDawn Chivers, OD

Benjamin Chudner, OD Gee Hyun Chun, OD

Ida Chung, ODDavid Ciccone, OD

Ira Clement, ODAlan Cohen, OD

Allen H. Cohen, ODRoy B. Cohen, OD

Jennifer Colavito, ODChristopher J. Colburn, OD

Daniel Colino, ODJason Compton, OD

Timothy L. Comstock, ODJoseph D. Conigliaro, OD

Vanessa Conenna, ODJeannette Cooper, OD

Jeffrey Cooper, ODEdward V. Cordes, ODGail E. Correale, ODPaul R. Cosenza, ODJohn J. Costello, OD

Christopher S. Couzins, ODMario J. Craig, OD

Shoshana B. Craig, ODAlexander R. Crinzi, ODJennifer Cummings, OD

Errol S. Daniels, ODAllan E. Davis, ODSara Dawson, OD

Regina M. Devito, ODJack L. Devore, ODDavid J. Dexter, OD

Christopher Digiorgio, ODMichael J. Dolan, ODAnne M. Downey, ODDavid P. Dozack, ODPaul R. Edelman, OD

Tybee Eleff, ODRita Ellent, OD

Richard L. Erenstone, ODThomas M. Erichson, OD

Burt S. Eschen, ODDorothy Anne Ewald, OD

Jack Facchin, ODBarry J. Farkas, OD

Daniel T. Farkas, ODDoron Feder, OD

Harvey O. Feldman, ODBrian Fengel, OD

Despina S. Fikaris, ODB. Scott Fine, OD

Murray Fingeret, ODSusan S. Fisher, OD

Jennifer P. Flynn, ODKirk C. Flynn, OD

Lawrence Forur, ODRobert S. Fox, ODPeter Freitag, OD

Jack Fried, ODRichard A. Frio, OD

Gregory Gaglioti, ODPaul R. Galstian, OD

Joseph P. Gambacorta, ODSteven J. Ganz, OD

Angela E. Gardner, ODIlana Gelfond-Polnariev, OD

Robert H. Geula, ODValerie A. Giangrande, OD

Maria Gibbons, ODSteven Givner, OD

Gwenda R. Gnadt, ODRonald S. Goldstein, ODTraci M. Goldstein, ODBrad C. Gollinger, OD

Steven I. Goodman, ODTimothy J. Grace, OD

Vincent B. Graniero, ODMarina Grapp, OD

Robert J. Grasso, ODRobert S. Greenbaum, OD

Joel Greenberg, ODMark L. Greenberg, OD

Volume 30Number 3

201318

©2012 HOYA Corporation. HOYA and HOYALUX iD MyStyle are registered trademarks of HOYA Corporation. The HOYA Free-Form Company, Integrated Double Surface Technology, iDentifier, and HOYA Free-Form are trademarks of HOYA Corporation.

THEN YOUR PATIENTS ARE WEARING HOYA® iD MYSTYLE®

PROGRESSIVE LENSES

IF YOU KNOW THE WORLD’S FIRST CORRIDOR-LESS PROGRESSIVE...

ASK YOU’RE HOYA SALES REPRESENTATIVE TODAY HOW YOU CAN ORDER SPECTANGLE FOR YOUR PRACTICE!

www.thehoyafreeformcompany.com

A Free-Form Lens Measuring DeviceHOYALUX iD MyStyle® can now be realized in all independent practices thanks to the development of Spectangle. Spectangle is an App that addresses many of the drawbacks required to pre-scribe personalized progressives including time necessary to take frame and fitting measurements, equipment investment and ease of operating measuring devices.

Israel Greenwald, ODAnne Griffin, OD

Peter F. Guidara, ODThomas S. Gullotti, OD

Shari L. Gustin, ODScott F. Hage, OD

William Halpin, ODDemetra Hamakiotes, OD

Joseph Hargrave, ODPaula Handell, OD

Bruce R. Hankin, ODGary Hanley, OD

Elizabeth S. Harvey, ODPaul E. Harvey, OD

Kimberly Heiligman, ODSarah S. Helgeson, ODElizabeth Hetrick, ODGary Holtzberg, OD

Mitchell Horowitz, ODSteven N. Ihrig, OD

Cheryl S. Israeloff, ODNadine M. Jamal, ODDanielle James, ODBarri J. Jones, OD

Arthur D. Jung, ODNina M. Kalmanson, OD

Thomas M. Kaminska, ODAllen I. Kaplan, ODJordan Kassalow, OD

Sanford J. Katims, ODAndrew J. Katz, OD

Richard S. Kavner, ODJaime L. Kenny, ODMili Khanna, OD

Daniel Kirchheimer, ODBarry T. Kissack, OD

Sarah Boulais Klein, ODLinda M. Kleinhenz, OD

Roy A. Kline, ODDonald B. Knapp, ODLeslie R. Kolker, OD

Martin Kornblatt, ODJeffrey Kraushaar, OD

David M. Krumholz, ODKristen Krummenacker, OD

Richard B. Krzyzak, ODMartin Kusnetz, OD

Michele A. Lagana, ODLori Marie Landrio, ODMichael V. Landy, ODWilliam J. Lapple, OD

Eric W. Lau, ODAlan S. Lax, OD

William J. Leahey, ODKathy Lee, OD

Gary A. LeeSue, ODRobert J. Lehrer, OD

David L. Leibstein, ODPatti L. Leonard, OD

Michael B. Levinson, ODLawrence Z. Levy, ODRocco F. Loccisano, OD

Laurence Lonky, ODMartin S. Losito, ODStella S. Lou Lee, ODTodd H. Lustig, OD

Diana Ma, ODJason K. MacLaughlin, OD

Michael Madigan, ODRichard J. Madonna, OD

Marilyn Mann, ODSergio Marano, OD

Anthony Marinelli, ODGary F. Marrone, OD

Marie A. Marrone, ODKatherine M. Mastrota, OD

Gerald G. Mattison, ODJ. Kent Maurer, OD

John J. Maurillo, ODMark R. Maxon, OD

Lindsay May, ODRobert P. McCormick, ODMichael J. McGovern, OD

Ronald A. Meeker, ODBradley R. Meltzer, OD

Peter J. Micca, OD

Maria A. Michalski, ODBari Miller, OD

Lawrence D. Miller, ODArlene Minkoff, OD

Daniel S. Mirkin, ODHenry W. Mole, ODAnthony Mondo, ODJason W. Moore, ODAl M. Morier, OD

Scott I. Morrison, ODJames O. Morse, OD

Harvey G. Moscot, ODEdward Moylan, ODJoseph J. Mueller, ODRebecca A. Nally, OD

David L. Naparstek, ODCharles H. Neu, ODVaishali Nigam, OD

Maureen O’Dwyer, OD

Steven A. Ohlbaum, ODKristin Orabone, OD

Eric Orava, ODDavid S. Orenstein, OD

Catherine Pace-Watson, ODBrett M. Paepke, OD

Charles W. Paepke, ODEugene Parker, ODGina Parsloe, OD

John Richard Paskowski, ODNehal P. Patel, ODViren R. Patel, OD

Ralph Paternoster, ODLucia Patino, OD

Brian D. Peralta, ODAlec J. Perlson, OD

Elisa B. Perreault, ODVernon A. Peryea, ODBenjamin P. Peters, OD


19

Frank Pirozzolo, ODRaymond Pirozzolo, OD

John P. Plow, ODRoman Polishchuk, ODSebastian A. Polizzi, OD

Joan K. Portello, ODSophie Poselle, OD

Ronald H. Poulin, ODBrian Powell, OD

Carolyn Powell-Rivers, ODElizabeth H. Pradhan, OD

Ira M. Price, ODRichard S. Price, OD

Kelly M. Primeau, ODTodd D. Punim, OD

Arthur M. Purvin, ODAmi C. Ranani, OD

John Ray, ODTina M. Reeves, OD

Fran L. Reinstein, ODBarbara L. Reiss, ODSusan A. Resnick, OD

Sheldon S. Retkinski, ODDouglas G. Rickert, OD

Brian M. Rogoff, ODDebbie C. Roodner, OD

Deborah S. Rose, ODKevin D. Rosin, OD

Theresa Rostkowski, ODJeffrey M. Roth, OD

Neil Rubin, ODJohn Rundquist, OD

Laurie Runnerstrom, ODDaniella Rutner, ODAndrew J. Sacco, OD

Nicolette Sacco-Brown, ODDenise Samaroo, ODPhilip A. Sarikey, OD

Denise D. Saunders, ODDavid E. Sausner, OD

Leonard J. Savedoff, ODCatherine Scandiffio, OD

Jeff Schafer, ODDaniel E. Scheg, ODTerry R. Scheid, OD

Alan B. Schlussel, ODSteven Schoenbart, ODJames A. Schultz, ODTerry R. Schultz, ODElliot Schwartz, OD

Steven H. Schwartz, ODMatthew E. Sendker, OD

Aarti K. Sharma, ODMary Rita Sheehy, OD

Melanie B. Sheinheit, ODEui-Hyun Shin, OD

Christopher Shiomos, ODDavid A. Siegel, OD

Margaret M. Siegrist, ODJennifer Small, OD

Andrew P. Smith, ODLauren Smith, OD

Duane R. Snyder, ODRichard M. Soden, ODMichael P. Spellicy, ODLaura C. Sperazza, ODJames E. Stafford, ODJoseph M. Stamm, OD

Diane Suarez, ODLibby Sukoff, OD

Carissa L. Swanson, ODDora Szymanowicz, ODWayne Tabachnick, OD

Barry Tannen, ODGrace Tan, OD

Andrea P. Thau, ODPamlea E. Theriot, OD

Rajiv Trivedi, ODFrank S. Verdone, ODJustin J. Verrone, ODDavid J. Vinci, OD

Ralph R. Vogel, ODKai Wing Wai, OD

William J. Waldron, OD

Larry B. Wallace, ODMaureen K. Wallen, OD

Michael R. Waterman, ODThomas P. Webb, OD

David L. Weinberger, ODGary M. Weiner, OD

Patricia Weisenreder, ODBernard H. Weitz, OD

Jan Weitz, ODVincent Wesolowski, ODDenise M. Whittam, OD

Aleksandra Wianecka, ODJeffrey S. Williams Jr., ODYvonne M. Williams, ODReem K. Wlaschin, ODRussell M. Wohl, ODThomas A. Wong, OD

Eva Yan, ODAnupama Yennamandra, OD

Heidi Ying, ODLori A. Youngman, ODMichelle Zalaznick, ODShandor Zelenger, OD

Wei Zhang, ODAbraham Zlatin, ODAllen F. Zuck, OD

Joseph Zupnick, OD


Thank you to our 2013 CVC Contributors!*

James E. Stafford, ODJoseph M. Stamm, OD

Marjorie J. Strelzyn, ODDiane Suarez, ODLibby Sukoff, OD

Carissa L. Swanson, ODDora Szymanowicz, wODWayne Tabachnick, OD

Grace Tan, ODBarry Tannen, OD

Andrea P. Thau, OD

Pamela E. Theriot, ODRajiv Trivedi, OD

Tara Cecilia Vaz, ODFrank S. Verdone, ODJustin J. Verrone, ODDavid J. Vinci, OD

Ralph R. Vogel, ODKai Wing Wai, OD

Larry B. Wallace, ODMaureen Wallen, ODMichael Waterman, OD

David Weinberger, ODGary M. Weiner, OD

Patricia E. Weisenreder, ODBernard H. Weitz, OD

Jan Weitz, ODVincent A. Wesolowski, OD

Denise M. Whittam, ODAleksandra Wianecka, ODYvonne M. Williams, ODReem K. Wlaschin, ODRussell M. Wohl, OD

Thomas A. Wong, ODEva Yan, OD

Lori A. Youngman, ODMichelle Zalaznick, ODShandor Zelenger, OD

Wei Zhang, ODAbraham Zlatin, ODAllen F. Zuck, OD

Joseph Zupnick, OD

Volume 30Number 3

201320

Health insurance market reforms, authorized under the federal Affordable Care Act, will take effect on New Year’s Day 2014. However, the year will also see a number of landmark events in the federal government’s eHealth Initiative – a $26 billion, multi-year effort to establish a nationwide electronic health information technology (HIT) system.

The following is an overview of important e-health dates, along with links to resources, tools, and information to help optometrists prepare for e-health implementation in 2014 and beyond.

Jan. 1, 2014

•Medicare electronic funds transfer – Administrative Simplification operating rules for electronic funds transfers (EFT) and remittance advice go into effect. (See http://go.cms.gov/ 1c8H6x5)

•Medicare and Medicare EHR programs – Eligible professionals (EPs) beginning Stage 2 with their third or fourth year of participation in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs. To learn more, see http://go.cms. gov/OzQYnb or http://www.excelod. com/ehr. Stage 2 Meaningful Use requires EHR interconnectivity. Optometrists are encouraged to consult AOAExcel™ for information on the OcuHub™ EHR interconnectivity network

(www.excelod.com/home-toolkit).

Medicare practitioners in their second year or beyond of demonstrating meaningful use need to electronically report their clinical quality measures (CQMs) for the full calendar year of 2014 (Jan, 1, 2014, to Dec. 31, 2014). Practitioners will then submit their CQM data during a two-month reporting period from Jan. 1, 2015, to Feb. 28, 2015.

•Medicare e-Prescribing (e-Rx) Program – To be considered a successful electronic prescriber for the 2013 e-Rx Incentive Program, and potentially qualify to earn a 0.5 percent incentive payment, an individual EP will have had to report the e-Rx measure for at least 25 unique electronic prescribing events in which the measure is reportable by the EP during 2013. For more information, visit http://go.cms.gov/11pVajA or www.excelod.com.

Feb. 28, 2014

•Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) – Practitioners must submit their calendar year (CY) 2013 data to receive a Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) incentive payment for 2013 by this date. It is also the last day for Medicare EPs participating in the Electronic Reporting

Pilot to submit quality data to satisfy both PQRS and the CQM requirement of the EHR Incentive Program. Learn more about the PQRS program at http://go.cms.gov/18DfttF, www.aoa.org/PQRS, or www.excelod.com/PQRS. For information on the EHR Incentive Program Electronic Reporting Pilot, see http://go.cms.gov/1bUXtPh.

•EHR attestation – This is also the deadline for practitioners to register and attest to demonstrating meaningful use for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program to receive an incentive payment for the 2013 reporting year. Medicaid registration and attestation deadlines may differ by state. For additional information, see http://go.cms.gov/HLRApo.

Oct. 1, 2014

• ICD-10 – This is the official transition date from ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes for diagnoses in health care practices and all other health care settings, as well as for procedures in hospital inpatient settings. Step-by-step CMS resources can help practitioners make sure they are prepared for the transition (http://go.cms.gov/Xe9zeO).

•EHR meaningful use – This is the last day for practitioners who have

Prepare now for key health IT milestones in 2014

21not yet participated in the Medicare EHR Incentive program to begin their 90 days of meaningful use in 2014. Medicare practitioners will not be able to earn incentives for participation in the program after this date and will be subject to payment adjustments. Payment adjustments start at 1 percent and are cumulative for every year an EP does not participate (see http://go.cms.gov/OpAA6N).

Nov. 5, 2014

•Health Plan Identifier – This is the deadline for large health plans to obtain a Health Plan Identifier (HPID). Small health plans have until Nov. 5, 2015 (see http://go.cms.gov/Qn77dS).

Stay up to date

For optometrists, becoming an integral part of the nation’s emerging e-health system is essential, according to AOA President Mitchell T. Munson, O.D.

“America is transitioning to a health care system

heavily focused on primary and preventive care,” Dr. Munson said. “Optometrists have the potential to play a key role in the nation’s transformed health care system, but only if they become part of the e-health systems that will support it. That means optometrists must meet all pertinent e-health deadlines over the coming months.”

The AOA and its AOAExcel™ subsidiary offer a range of guidance and services specifically designed to ensure optometrists can meet each of those deadlines.

The CMS frequently updates the information available to health care practitioners on its e-health programs. Changes in e-health program rules, regulations, criteria or deadlines are possible, the AOA Advocacy Group noted.

Optometrists should make a point to stay up to date with the developments related to e-health by following the AOA on Twitter (@AOANews and @AOAConnect) and online at aoa.org/news.

News from the AOA

Health care

practitioners may now

have up to five years

to return overpayments

to Medicare under a

newly revised Extended

Repayment Schedules

(ERS) program that

takes effect Sept. 3.

Under the revised

program, Medicare

payment contractors

may authorize extended

repayment periods

ranging from six to 36

months.

Longer repayment

schedules, up to

60 months, may be

approved by U.S.

Centers for Medicare

& Medicaid Services

(CMS) staff.

Medicare generally

requires return of

overpayments within

30 days but the CMS

may grant extensions

if a practitioner

demonstrates immediate

repayment would

represent a “hardship.”

Until now Medicare

payment contractors

could only give

practitioners an

extension of up to

12 months to return

overpayments, although

CMS officials could

allow longer repayment

periods if warranted.

Practitioners should

note unreturned

overpayments are

subject to substantial

interest.

For additional

Information, visit http://tinyurl.com/mq6a9gf.

News from the AOA

Practitioners now have longer to pay back

overcharges to Medicare

Volume 30Number 3

201322

Optometrists can still avoid having Medicare reimbursements docked 0.5 percent in 2015 under the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) if they see a Medicare patient with diabetes, open-angle glaucoma, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by the end of the year. All that is necessary is “a good-faith effort” to provide quality patient care by taking the measures encouraged under the program, such as discussing the benefits of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) formulation of antioxidant supplements or providing dilated macular examinations when patients present with AMD.

“With Medicare planning to increase its quality reporting requirements over coming years, practitioners have reason to make a real effort to use PQRS codes on a regular basis,” notes Rebecca Wartman, O.D., of the AOA Third Party Executive Committee. “By doing so now, practitioners could not only avoid the coming PQRS payment penalty in 2015 but quite possibly still earn a PQRS bonus this year.”

AOA polls consistently show optometrists are already taking the steps encouraged under the PQRS to ensure high quality of care – such as providing dilated eye examinations and discussing the AREDS formula with AMD patients – so all most practitioners need to do is properly report those services to Medicare using the standard Medicare 1500 claim form along with the appropriate quality reporting code.

Medicare considers a good-faith effort to mean as little as providing PQRS quality-of-care measures to a single appropriate patient over the course of a year, so all practitioners need to do is use the PQRS codes once – on one claim form for one patient – during 2013.

This month, AOA News is focusing on the reporting of AMD quality measures through the PQRS. Features on glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy quality measures will follow in the coming months.

Two PQRS measures relate to the diagnosis of AMD:•Measure 14 – Age-Related Macular Degeneration:

Dilated Macular Examination•Measure 140 – Age-Related Macular Degeneration:

Counseling on Antioxidant Supplement

Practitioners may use one or both measures with any of the following three AMD diagnoses codes:• 362.50 – Macular degeneration NOS• 362.51 – Macular degeneration, non-exudative• 362.52 – Macular degeneration, exudative

Measure 14, reported on claims using QDC 2019F, indicates the provider had a dilated view of the macular and documented whether macular thickening and hemorrhages were present or not.

The provider must dilate and record findings once per a 12-month period or once per a reporting period.

However, the quality data code QDC must be used on every claim submitted for the AMD diagnosis even when the dilated macular examination was performed during a previous patient visit.

For cases in which the practitioner could not provide a dilated examination, the PQRS provides exceptions that can be noted on claims with the following modifiers:

ODs can easily avoid PQRS pay penalties with AMD codes

23

1P: Medical reason for no dilated macular view.

2P: Patient’s reason for no dilated macular view.

8P: Other reason for no dilated macula view.

However, practitioners should use such exceptions, particularly 8P, judiciously.

Measure 140, reported on claims using QDC 4177F, indicates the provider discussed the pros and cons of AREDS formulation of antioxidant supplements and made proper recommendations for the individual and documented the discussion per the AREDS report.

This discussion and documentation of recommendations must occur once per 12-month period or once per reporting period for each unique patient. However, the QDC must be used on every claim submitted for the diagnosis, even

when the AREDS discussion occurred during a prior patient visit.

The only exception for 4177F is 8P – No reason for not discussing AREDS.

The AMD quality measures are applicable only to patients age 50 or older.

For additional information, including the AOA Summary Chart of PQRS coding, visit www.excelod.com/pqrs.

News from the AOA

For first-year participants

in the Medicare Electronic

Health Records (EHR)

Incentive Program, the last

day to begin reporting for

2013 is Oct. 1. Practitioners

attempting to qualify

for second-year EHR

incentives during 2013 must

demonstrate adherence to

the government’s meaningful

use standards for a full year.

First-year health care

practitioners who have

already completed their

reporting period can access

several tools to help prepare

for attestation.

•Practitioners can use

the CMS Eligible

Professional Attestation

Worksheet (http://

tinyurl.com/8enndss) to

record their meaningful

use measures to reference

when attesting for the

program in the CMS

Web-based Registration

and Attestation System

(ehrincentives.cms.gov).

•The CMS Meaningful

Use Attestation

Calculator (www.

cms.gov/apps/ehr)

and Attestation User

Guide for Eligible

Professionals (http://

tinyurl.com/96el9ht)

can also help health

care professionals to

successfully attest to

meeting meaningful use.

Health care professionals

can find other important

dates related to the EHR

incentive program by visiting

http://tinyurl.com/8dsufkn

or reviewing the “Important

Dates” section of the CMS

EHR Incentive Programs’

Overview page (http://

tinyurl.com/93383wf).

For additional information,

including webinars, articles,

FAQs and more, visit www.

ExcelOD.com/EHR.

News from the AOA

Last 2013 Medicare EHR reporting period begins Oct. 1

24 Volume 39Number 3

2013

Help Vision West help you support the New York State Optometric Association!

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25

Help Vision West help you support the New York State Optometric Association!

Vision West is the preferred optical buying group of the New York State Optometric Association (NYSOA).

1.5% of your Vision West billing goes back to support the NYSOA!

To date Vision West has given the NYSOA over $250,000 back in support!

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Premium Customer Service and 24/7 online account access and Practice Management tools

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By July, the number of times I asked for help each day had dropped greatly, and I had cut down my pre-testing time to an average of seven minutes.

While this experience alone was more than enough to help me have extreme appreciation towards all who work at the front desk or as a tech, what really made this summer incredible was the mentorship provided by the doctors at the practice. Each one took me under their wing, showing me tips on how to get the best optomap image, how to handle patients who just aren’t having a good day, and on one occasion bringing me in to witness my first corneal scar.

They fully expected me to mention any abnormalities I noticed in imaging or inconsistencies in pre-tests, and would call me over if I missed something. On one instance, a doctor showed me a picture of a myelinated RNFL and helped me through the steps to achieve the proper diagnosis. I was able to witness firsthand nevi, melanoma, retinal detachments, and asteroid hyalosis, all conditions that I had only seen thus far in textbooks or powerpoint slides in lecture.

As a student entering my second year, this internship has made more of an impact on me than I could have ever imagined. It’s something I believe to be an invaluable learning experience for any student who is seeking firsthand experience in a real-world scenario. But what a lot of classmates and I found to be difficult this past semester was finding practices who were willing to hire students. Chelsea Ashlaw (current President of SUNY’s NYSOA chapter) and I have discussed this point in great depth, and have decided to create a database of NYSOA optometrists willing to take on students during the summer off between first and second year. Whether it is as a full-time internship, a part-time employment, or even allowing students to shadow at the practice, having such a database would provide students with an easy access to obtain experience that will greatly affect how they will practice in the future.

If you are interested in being a part of this database or have any questions, please send an e-mail to [email protected]. We look forward to working with you to help future optometry students gain invaluable real-world experience.w w w. s i lhouet te . c om

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My first day can be best described as eye-opening and humbling.

Optometry Student Corner, continuedcontinued from page 6

mailto:[email protected]

Volume 30Number 3

201326

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Welcome New NYSOA Members!*

*June 1, 2013 through September 25, 2013

CENTRALIhor Dilaj, OD

Eui-Hyun Shin, OD

EASTERNJennifer Tribley, OD

NASSAUJoy Scharf, OD

NORTHERNMark Hershowitz, OD

OSCONYEkaterina Kruger, OD

Sharon Park, OD

OSCONY Lucia Patino, OD

Olesya Semchenkova, ODStephanie Tin, OD

ROCHESTERTiffany Cheng, OD

Meredith Jansen, OD

SUFFOLkJennifer Ceonzo, OD

WRPTania Mathai, OD

Hiral Patel, ODJisoo Shin, OD

Upcoming NYSOA EventsCE-NY

November 3, 2013The Lodge at Welch Allyn

Skaneateles Falls, NY

NYSOA Board of Trustees MeetingNovember 17, 2013

Hilton AlbanyAlbany, NY

Wint❆rFest 2014CE-NY Education:

January 31-February 2NYSOA Annual Meeting:

February 1-2 High Peaks ResortLake Placid, NY

Platinum

Bronze

Diamond

ProspectusNew York State

Optometric Association119 Washington Avenue

Second FloorAlbany, NY 12210

800-342-9836P 518-449-7300F 518-432-5902

[email protected]

NYSOA Elected Officers President

Susan Fisher, ODN. Bellmore, NY

President-ElectChristopher Colburn, OD

Jamestown, NY

Vice President Ida Chung, ODNew York, NY

Secretary/TreasurerMichele Lagana, OD

Rochester, NY

Immediate Past-PresidentTom Landry, OD

Corning, NY

Executive Director Jan S. Dorman

[email protected]

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Fall 2013 Prospectus