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Last year was a tough one for Loui-siana ophthalmologists and our pa-tients. As you know, optometrists may now perform laser and eyelid procedures as a result of legislation. The Louisiana State Board of Opto-metric Examiners will oversee this op-tometric surgical scope of practice, and optometrists will be credentialed to do surgery after completing a 32-hour lecture course. Louisiana joins Oklahoma and Kentucky in allowing optometrists to do these surgical pro-cedures.
So how did we get here? Almost all legislators I talked with before and during the 2014 session agreed this
was not a good bill but said they had “committed to optometry.” Many used the excuse of access to eye care for rural patients even though almost 90 percent of optometrists practice in towns where there is an ophthalmol-ogist. For the other 10 percent, the closest ophthalmologist is on aver-age 14 miles away.
Many of us think we are hopelessly outspent by optometrists in the po-litical arena. We are outspent, but not by as much as you may think. We are certainly outworked by optometrists politically. For years optometrists have visited with their legislators. Have you met personally with your legislators? Do your legislators know who you are? You can be sure that your representative and senator know the optometrists in your district. We must make those contacts, not just for when we are at odds with optometry but also for other issues that directly affect our patients and practices.
The Louisiana Academy of Eye Physi-cians and Surgeons (LAEPS) has been
A Message from Immediate Past President Bradley Black, MD
1InFocus
In This Issue:
louisiana academy ofLAEPS eye physicians and surgeons
Message from Immediate Past President Bradley Black, MD
AAO 2015: Discover Las Vegas
S.E. Eye Regional Annual Meeting: July 23-25, 2015
Member Spotlight: Pam Williams, MD
2015-2017 LAEPS Board of Directors
2015 Session Wrap Up
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Volume 1: Issue 1June / July 2015
InFocus
To learn more about the Louisiana Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons or to join, visit www.lseps.org or email [email protected].
Join today!
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busy this year, especially working with the American Academy of Ophthal-mology (AAO) DC office on federal issues. Drug compounding and re-packaging is a big issue in Congress and at the FDA. Some regulations considered by the FDA would make intravitreal injections more costly and place greater administrative burden on the ophthalmologist. With help from the AAO, LAEPS and ophthal-mologists in Acadiana contacted Rep. Charles Boustany, member of the House Committee on Ways & Means regarding the Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act. The bill contained a paragraph that would have required prior authorization for almost all eye-lid procedures. Ophthalmology asso-ciations from other states also con-tacted their representatives on the committee. When the bill was favor-ably reported out of the committee, the paragraph regarding prior autho-rization had been removed.
Along with Pam Williams, MD, LAEPS legislative chair, George Ellis, LAEPS councilor to the AAO, and Krystle Medford, LAEPS Executive Director, I recently attended the AAO Mid-Year Forum in DC. The Senate passed HR 2 that week, repealing the SGR formula and requiring Medicare to continue to reimburse for the global period. This is a huge win for physicians. Had the global period been eliminated, all ophthalmology procedures would have been reimbursed at a much low-er rate. You received e-mails from LAEPS asking you to contact your representatives and senators as this bill made its way through Congress. Thanks to all who called and sent let-ters or e-mails. Even though the final numbers in the House and Senate were not close, this was not an easy vote, so thank your senators and rep-resentatives when you talk with them.
This new law is not perfect. There are still problems with meaningful use and PQRS penalties. We are at a wa-tershed moment. You will hear much
more about alternative payment methods and quality measures. Many people in this state have contributed time and money as advocates for our patients and our profession. Thank you very much. But this is not the time to sit on the sidelines. Every ophthal-mologist in Louisiana benefits from the advocacy contributions of some in the state. It is time for all of us to be advocates. Imagine what we could accomplish if 100 percent of ophthal-mologists were engaged in advocacy. In my view, we have an obligation to be advocates for our patients and our profession. That patient advocacy does not just mean providing good medical care. It means we must use our influence to establish public pol-icy that is in the best interest of our patients.
LAEPS plans a series of cocktail recep-tions in different regions of the state so we can socialize and discuss state and federal issues in person. We have just completed the first CODEquest, and this will be an annual event. We will begin a series of workshops for residents on ophthalmology practice issues. A great program is lined up at the Southeast Eye Regional Annual Meeting in Sandestin co-sponsored by LAEPS, the Alabama Academy of Ophthalmology, the Mississippi Academy of Eye Physicians and Sur-geons, and the Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology on July 23-25, 2015.
If you are a member of LAEPS, thank you. Get involved in the political pro-cess. It is critical to your patients and to the future of your practice. If you are not a member of LAEPS, please join today at laeps.org. The next five years will be crucial in shaping med-ical care for the future. With the ma-jority of state ophthalmologists as members, we can be a very strong advocacy organization on the state and federal levels. If you are not at the table, you will be on the menu.
AAO 2015: Discover Las VegasNov. 14 – 17, 2015 • Sands Expo/Venetian, Las Vegas
AAO 2015 registration includes access to exhibition, academy café panels, learning lounge discussions, opening session, original paper sessions, scientific posters and poster tours, spotlight sessions, symposia, technology pavilion presentations, and video program
Early registration ends August 5, 2015.
For more information or to register, visit aao.org/annual-meeting.
LAEPS members save 10% on
malpractice insurance with OMIC
Dr. Pamela Williams is a native of Michigan. She received her u n d e r g r a d u a t e degree from the University of Michigan and
her medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. She completed her surgical internship and ophthalmology residency at Indiana
University in Indianapolis, Indiana. She then stayed in Indianapolis for her Pediatric Ophthalmology fellowship. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an active board member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Dr. Williams has been practicing in Baton Rouge since 2004. She and her husband have three children.
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Louisiana Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons News
SE Eye Annual Regional Meeting 2015
LAEPS Member Spotlight: Pam Williams, M.D.
Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort Destin, Florida
Co-Sponsored by the: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee Academies of Ophthalmology
July 23-25, 2015
• In-Depth ICD-10 Coding Updates from National AAO Experts
• Nationally Recognized Speakers• Legislative Advocacy and Political
Updates• Video Pearls• Educational Session Formats• Panel Debates and Discussion]• Extensive Audience Participation• OMIC Loss Prevention Seminar
SouthEast Eye Regional MeetingAlabama | Louisiana | Mississippi | Tennessee
S.E. Eye 2015 Sandestin
July 23-25, 2015
More information will be posted when available at: www.regonline.com/SEEye2015or contact Mike Merrill at:[email protected]
For more information or to register, visit regonline.com/SEEye2015.
InFocus
President Ramesh S. Ayyala, MD, FRCS, FRCOphth Ramesh S. Ayyala was born in Hyderabad, India and completed his training on three continents (medical school in Hyderabad, India; Residency in Ophthalmology in Mersey Region, United Kingdom and University of Florida, Tampa, FL, USA and Sub-specialty training in Glaucoma from Massachusetts Eye and Ear infirmary, Harvard University, Boston and Cornea and External Diseases from Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA). He has extensive experience in training ophthalmology residents, having rebuilt the Ophthalmology residency program at Tulane University following Hurricane Katrina for which he was awarded the “Courage to Teach Parker J. Palmer Award” by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). He is also a recipient of the “Teaching Scholar Award” from Tulane School of Medicine. His passion for low-cost, quality education resulted in the establishment of Meditred.com, an online website, dedicated to resident education for which he
was awarded the “New Orleans City Business Innovators’ Award.”
Dr. Ayyala is an internationally known Glaucoma and Anterior Segment surgeon and researcher, having authored numerous peer reviewed original articles in all major ophthalmic journals. His research led to the creation of the world’s first slow release drug delivery system to decrease scar tissue formation following glaucoma drainage device surgery. He has been listed in the “Best Doctors in America”, “America’s Top Ophthalmologists”, continuously since 2008 and recognized by the American Academy of Ophthalmology with its “Achievement Award”, “Academic Achievement Award” and “Secretariat Award.” Dr Ramesh Ayyala currently serves as Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of Residency and Fellowship (Glaucoma) Programs and Director of Glaucoma Services at Tulane University Hospital and Clinics, President of MediTred LLC , President and CEO of ElutiMed,LLC and the founding Chairman and on the Board of Directors of AEI. He lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Vice President: Chad Norton, MD
Secretary/Treasurer: Frank Jay Culotta Jr., MD
2015-2017 LAEPS Board of Directors
HB375 - Rep. Lance Harris (Support)Description: Proposed bill would proved for an exemption from state and local sales tax exemption for the procurement and administration of ophthalmic injectable drugs to patients in a physicians office. This bill was defeated in House Health Welfare by the entire local government lobby. They argued that this exemption would decrease funding for critical ser-vices.
SB56 - Senator Dorsey (Oppose)Description: Proposed bill would seek to redefine the chiro-practic scope of practice. It was scope of practice expansion brought by the Louisiana Association of Chiropractors. This bill passed out of the Senate and was defeated in the House Health and Welfare Committee. LAEPS played s critical role joining the Orthopedics and LSMS in defeating this bill.
HB397 - Rep. Pope (Support) Description: Proposed bill authorized the refill of an origi-nal prescription for eyedrops when the original prescription reached 70% of the predicted use without requiring a second authorization. It also applied to patients who have continual difficulty with inadvertent wastage. For example, a pediatric
case where the child will not sit still long enough to perfectly administer the drops every time. This bill made it out if the House and ran into stiff opposition by the pharmacy board. This bill eventually failed to get a hearing in the Senate and subsequently died. There is compassion for the issue and a chance to run a better, more effective bill next year.
SB115 - Senator Mills (monitor/oppose/monitor)Description: Proposed bill expanded the collaborative agree-ment between physicians and physicians assistants. Among many things it gave authority to PA’s to write schedule 2 drugs. The LSMS supported this bill. In Senate Health and Welfare it was amended to include optometrists for schedule 2 prescrib-ing authority. LSMS and others continued to support this bill.
HB843 - Rep. Hazel (Support)Description: This was LSMS’s signature piece of legislation that sought to reorganize the Louisiana Board of Medical Ex-aminers and put into effect defined appeals and disciplinary protocols. This was a contentious bill that sought to provide a firewall between the Executive Director position and the Chief Investigator position within the board. The bill ulti-mately passed overwhelmingly and is awaiting the Governors signature.
2015 Legislative Wrap-Up
