SPECIAL ALERT – TOA Instrumental in Block Vision Rescinding Arbitrary Barriers to Access Care

In August, Texas doctors reported to the TOA that they received notice of Block Vision's intentions to require doctors to get precertification to examine four year-old patients. We challenged this requirement as discriminatory to that age group and against the law allowing patients to self-refer to eye doctors. As a result of our challenges on your behalf, on Friday, October 23rd, 2009, Block Vision announced that they would immediately rescind this new requirement. See Block Vision's Press Release. For more information about the TOA's work on your behalf, see this week's Legislative Report (Members Only).

Remember: If you have any problems with insurance companies, please let us know right away. We're always working on your behalf.

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CE Opportunity: EyeCon '09, November 21-22

Get all your required continuing education! Discounted registration ends November 6th!

Still need CE for this year? You can get it all in one place, in one weekend. Just need the new one-hour professional responsibility course? Get it here. Glaucoma skills checkoff? Look no further!

In addition to these CE opportunities, the TOA leadership will be discussing the future of the profession in Texas, including legislative goals for the next two years. Don't miss it!

Ready to sign up? Just navigate to our meetings and education page, download the brochure, fill out the appropriate page and submit it as soon as possible. Early registration ends November 6th!

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Legislative Report

Legislative Report: TOA Makes Progress on Key Issues in Conjunction With Texas Health and Human Service Commission

From Steve Nguyen, TOA Board Member

Healthcare reform has been on all of our minds. Well, it should-this will affect us all, personally and professionally. While we're waiting on the finished product, let's not forget about the healthcare delivery systems that we currently have. For this article, we will discuss some aspects and changes to Texas Medicaid, and the active role the TOA has taken to address issues and concerns of our membership.

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Board Certification Update

The Texas Optometric Association is closely following developments of the American Board of Optometry and the plans for board certification. The AOA has been conducting periodic conference calls with state leaders, and has been communicating to all membership on a regular basis through the AOA News. The TOA Board is exploring various ways to support members in preparations for the eventual examination. No specifics are yet available since a testing agency has yet to be contracted, but we will keep you apprised of ABO progress in tandem with AOA. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at the TOA office.

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Making Texas Home to More Top Universities

Proposition 4 would put $400 million towards making the University of Houston and six others the nation's next top research institutions

On November 3nd, Proposition 4 will go to the ballot in Texas. This proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution would authorize the distribution of over $400 million of already-collected funds towards boosting Texas Universities up to "Tier One" status. The University of Houston is on the short list of public institutions that would be affected by this proposition.

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Billing & Coding

New Medicare ordering, referring rule takes effect

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is placing new restrictions on ordering/ referring items and services for Medicare beneficiaries. The Medicare agency acknowledges that optometrists are authorized to order/ refer items and services for Medicare beneficiaries, but the new policies could limit access to care for patients and could interrupt reimbursement for the doctor who provides the ordered/ referred item or service.

Find the full story here, available for AOA Members only.

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Practice Management

How do you know if you've got the flu or just a cold?

As an addendum to our Optometrist's Guide to Managing the Flu, which can be found here, we've put together a short guide for quickly telling the difference between a mere cold and the more serious flu.

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Upcoming Events

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Find Your Legislator

If you do not know who your legislators are, here is an easy way to find out: Click here and then type in your address.

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Thank you for reading our monthly e-news. Please send us your suggestions and comments or thoughts about stories we might include. We are working hard to insure that your dues dollars bring you the maximum benefits of membership. This is a work in progress. Email Bj Avery at the TOA office at texop@aol.com.

Sincerely,

Stacie Layne Virden, O.D.
President, The Texas Optometric Association Inc.

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Email: texop@aol.com
Phone: (512) 707-2020
Fax: (512) 326-8504