2008 TOA Convention Go On-Line to Register
"The Heartbeat of Optometry" The 2008 TOA Convention will be held in Austin February 14-17. "The Heartbeat of Optometry" is scheduled with complete dual-track education, top-name speakers, Behind Closed Doors program with a $200 rebate to participants and special events such as the President's luncheon, awards banquet and the band, featuring optometry's own Roland Montemayor, OD. For the latest CE schedule and Paraoptometric information, or to register, go to TOA's new website http://texas.aoa.org |
Former TOA, AOA President Passes AwayDr. Robert Day, Sr.Born in Van Alstyne, TX May 19, 1924, Dr. Robert Day passed away January 11 in Garland. A third generation optometrist, Dr. Day was the son of Emmett Day, O.D. and grandson of E.M. Maphis O.D. He graduated from Kaufman High School with honors in 1941 and attended the University of North Texas, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Math in 1947. He graduated with honors from the Southern College of Optometry in 1949. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Ocular Science at Southern College of Optometry in 1974 and became a fellow in the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Day was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946. He had a private practice of Optometry in Garland, TX from 1950 to 2000 and served as president of the Texas Optometric Association from 1963 to 1965 and went on the become the first Texas president of the American Optometric Association in 1973. AOA Trustee and former TOA President Ron Hopping, OD, FAAO said, "Dr Day and I had dinner together many times when I was growing up and when I was in college. He influenced my becoming an Optometrist because he loved Optometry and he talked about how great a profession Optometry is. He correctly predicted that Optometry would grow as a profession and that our scope of practice would greatly expand. But the best part of Optometry, for Dr Day, was being able to help people." Hopping added, "Dr. Robert Day was responsible for developing the Current Optometric Information Terminology Manual while he was President of the AOA. This also led to the development of the Current Optometric Procedure Terminology Manual. These were essential first steps in the growth of Optometry becoming a primary care profession and were the precursors of the CPT codes and ICD - 9 codes that Optometry uses today." Dr. Day served as president of the Garland Jaycees in 1954, President of the Dallas County School Board of Trustees and Vice-President of the Garland Board of School Trustees, from 1955-1959. He was a Lifemaster in duplicate bridge and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Garland. He is survived by his wife, Sarah Kelsey Day; son, Bob Day, Jr., O.D., who followed in his father's footsteps as president of TOA, and wife, Reeta Keele Day; daughter, Cynthia Day Grimes and husband, Rob Grimes; grandchildren, Kenneth and Travis Day, Elizabeth Stanley and husband, Dr. Greg Stanley, Katherine King; step-grandchildren, Jacob Grimes and his wife, Alley Grimes, Warren Grimes and Preston Grimes; great-grandchild, Ayden. Funeral services were held January 14 in Garland. The family has asked that memorial contributions be made to University of Houston School of Optometry or Music Ministry at First United Methodist Church, Garland, TX. |
UPDATE Your "Find An Optometrist" Area of TOA's Website Make sure patients and other doctors can find youThe Doctor Locator or "Find An Optometrist" feature in the top right hand of the banner on TOA's website, http://texas.aoa.org is an invaluable tool for both patients and doctor referrals. To access the members-only feature, TOA members will need to use their AOA ID number and birthday. Once inside the site, members can go into the "Find An Optometrist" section and select the "Doctor Locator Member Update" to insure the correct, up-to-date location information. If you don't know your AOA member ID number, you can contact AOA at 800-365-2219, TOA at 512-707-2020 or email TOACURT@austin.rr.com. |
Billing, Coding and MoreFrom AOA:In two previous messages distributed to you, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicated that the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 replaced the scheduled 10.1 percent reduction in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) conversion factor with a 0.5 percent increase for dates of service beginning January 1 through June 30, 2008. CMS has received a number of inquiries asking whether physicians need to take any special action to get paid at the rates required by the statute. Physicians do not need to take any additional action in order for their MPFS claims to be paid at the new rate that reflects the 0.5 percent increase in the conversion factor. Medicare contractors are able to process claims for services paid under the MPFS that contain dates of service January 1 and after with the new 2008 rates. No adjustments should be necessary. Your Medicare contractors have been instructed to process, beginning January 7, all claims with dates of service January 1, 2008, and after, that contain MPFS services. We are also taking this opportunity to reiterate two points made in earlier messages: - The new fees are expected to be posted on your local contractor's website no later than January 11, 2008. The "Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up" link on the CMS Website, which allows you to customize your search, will be updated with the new 2008 fees during the week of January 21, 2008. However, the carrier specific public use files are available now on the CMS Website for the new 2008 MPFS rates at the following link: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PhysicianFeeSched/PFSCSF/list.asp.
- CMS extended the participation decision period an additional 45 days. The participation decision period now runs through February 15, 2008, instead of ending on December 31, 2007. All participating status changes will be effective January 1, 2008. Contractors will accept and process any participation elections or withdrawals, made during the extended enrollment period that are received or post-marked on or before February 15, 2008.
To become a participating physician, complete the CMS-460 form which can be found on the CD that was mailed to physicians in November. You can also request the form from your local contractor. The form must be completed, signed, and mailed to your local contractor and post-marked by February 15, 2008. If you are changing your participation status to non-participating, please send your request in a letter to your local contractor, post-marked by February 15, 2008. Contractors will not automatically make adjustments for providers who change their participation status after January 1, 2008 (you should begin billing claims according to the participation decision that you have made). However, they will adjust claims based on participation status changes that you bring to their attention. An official CMS change request and an MLNMatters article will be forthcoming.
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Find Your Legislator:http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/  If you do not know who your legislators are, here is an easy way to find out by adding your address or county.
Please support your profession by voting in the Texas primary March 4 (early voting begins February 19) and the general election in November. |
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