American Optometric Association Applauds Override of Medicare Cuts

             OPTOMETRISTS LEAD WINNING PATIENT ACCESS COALITION



    WASHINGTON, July 15 /EMWNews/ -- The American Optometric

Association (AOA) applauds Members of Congress from both parties for voting

to override President Bush's veto of legislation passed to stop massive

cuts in the Medicare program.



    Concerned optometrists from across the country have been calling

Capitol Hill to urge their representatives in Congress to safeguard patient

access to eye and vision care through Medicare. In spite of the President's

veto earlier today, Congress has voted by an overwhelming majority to

ensure that the AOA-backed bill to save Medicare is the law.



    H.R. 6331 prevents a looming 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to

physicians and managed care plans and halts misguided new regulations

governing durable medical equipment (DME) accreditation.



    "Congress heard us loud and clear. Massive Medicare cuts would have

severely hampered our mission to ensure that America's seniors have access

to quality and affordable eye care. I'm proud of the role that optometry

played in averting a Medicare meltdown and protecting patient access to

care," said Dr. Peter Kehoe, O.D., AOA President.



    The American Optometric Association is committed to increasing access

to eye care for America's families, including working men and women,

military service personnel, veterans, seniors and school-aged children.

Comprehensive eye exams can help a child avoid school failure, lead to the

diagnosis of other health problems in older Americans and help ensure that

treatable diseases are caught early. Healthy vision is critical for

everyone.



    In addition to blocking the 10.6 percent cut, the measure also prevents

the 5 percent pay cut scheduled to begin Jan 1, 2009. The bill also extends

a 0.5 percent payment update through December 31, 2008 and provides a

positive update of 1.1 percent for 2009 while blocking implementation of a

proposed DMEPOS (durable medical equipment/prosthetics, orthotics and

supplies) accreditation restriction, which the AOA strongly opposed. The

measure also provides Congress with a full 18 months to find a solution to

the flawed Medicare-sustainable growth rate (SGR) payment formula, which

prevents implementation of an unfair DMEPOS regulation that threatens to

deny our Medicare patients' access to post-surgical eyewear.



    If Congress had not intervened, these pay cuts to doctors would have

undoubtedly limited care and service for seniors and others who depend on

Medicare, the AOA maintained.



    "This is a hard won victory for our patients and shows how concerned

doctors can make their voices heard in Washington, DC. On behalf of doctors

of optometry in communities across the country, I want to thank all our

supporters in the House and Senate who voted for this bill and committed to

overriding the President unwarranted veto. Special thanks to Senators

Edward Kennedy (MA), Max Baucus (MT) and Harry Reid (NV), Speaker Pelosi

(CA), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) and Majority Whip James Clyburn (SC)

who listened to their local optometrists and took the profession's

pro-patient message to heart," said Kehoe.

    About the American Optometric Association (AOA):



    The American Optometric Association represents approximately 36,000

doctors of optometry, optometry students and paraoptometric assistants and

technicians. Optometrists serve patients in nearly 6,500 communities across

the country, and in 3,500 of those communities are the only eye doctors.

Doctors of optometry provide two-thirds of all primary eye care in the

United States.



    American Optometric Association doctors of optometry are highly

qualified, trained doctors on the frontline of eye and vision care who

examine, diagnose, treat and manage diseases and disorders of the eye. In

addition to providing eye and vision care, optometrists play a major role

in a patient's overall health and well-being by detecting systemic diseases

such as diabetes and hypertension.



    Prior to optometry school, optometrists typically complete four years

of undergraduate study, culminating in a bachelor's degree. Required

undergraduate coursework for pre-optometry students is extensive and covers

a wide variety of advanced health, science and mathematics. Optometry

school consists of four years of post-graduate, doctoral study

concentrating on both the eye and systemic health. In addition to their

formal training, doctors of optometry must undergo annual continuing

education to stay current on the latest standards of care. For more

information, visit http://www.aoa.org.






     Liz Torrez,

     312-255-3036

     cell 773-580-5640

     [email protected]