ST. LOUIS—As a result of the Republicans’ sweep of many national
and state elections earlier this month, the health care reform
legislation passed last March may be facing some changes, according to
Joe Ellis, OD, the president of the American Optometric Association
(AOA).
But Ellis said the organization’s efforts to secure a place for
optometry in whatever health care formulas ultimately emerge—and to
advocate for complete eye exams for children in the final coverage
negotiations—will continue, regardless of changes in the political
landscape.
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JOE ELLIS, OD
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“We still have a lot of work to do,” Ellis said shortly after the
November elections—which brought the first optometrist, John Boozman,
OD (R-Ark.), to the U.S. Senate, after having been a U.S. Representative
since 2001.
Ellis declared, “We intend to safeguard our patient gains,
including the Harkin Amendment, and to continue to advocate for a
children’s eye exam benefit as essential” in any final health care
coverage decision. Also important, he said, will be continuing to push
for “optometry’s role in primary care.”
With a Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives
as of January, Ellis said he sees potential for changes in some
provisions of the health care bill that were deemed unpopular by
Republican politicians. But for now, the AOA president told VM, “We have
to go with the letter of the law” as it currently stands. If that law
changes, Ellis said, “We’ll have to make adjustments.”
Looking ahead, he said the AOA’s key priorities for 2011 will be
“working on the Federal and state levels to move the key [eyecare]
provisions forward,” and to have a say in the definition of the
“essential vision benefit” currently included in the law.
In summary Ellis said, “The AOA continues to be committed to
optometry having a seat at the table when health care decisions are
made.”
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cciccolella@jobson.com