When the Affordable Care Act goes into affect on January 1, there will be two very positive components for optometrists. First, every policy must cover comprehensive eye exams for children up to age 18. The new federal law labels pediatric eye care as an “essential” benefit–and we couldn’t agree more! Optometrists should be planning an informational campaign to educate their patients. Get the word out in your practice newsletters, on hold messages, signs in your exam rooms, etc. Start to add children to your recall list, and assist your front desk staff by helping them script the importance of eye exams for children. This has the potential of helping grow your practice as well as providing hundreds of children with a critical service!
The second provision of the new law ends insurance plans discrimination against optometrists. Starting January 1, no insurance plan can deny payment to optometrists for medical eye care based on licensure. The antidiscrimination statue includes self-funded ERISA plans, like those covering many Detroit-based autoworkers (Chrysler, GM, UAW, etc). Yeah! (Note: Insurance payers can still deny medical care if the service is specifically excluded on the policy for all providers.)
