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Children’s vision health care bill gains support
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WASHINGTON — A bill making its way through Congress that would provide $75 million in state grants for eye examinations and ophthalmic treatments for uninsured children is gaining political support from organized medicine and ophthalmology.
The Children’s Access to Vision Care Act of 2005 was introduced in the House by Rep. Vito Fossella, R-N.Y. The bill “seeks to ensure that scarce health care dollars are used to help those most in need — uninsured children with identified vision problems,” according to a press release from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Along with the AAO, Prevent Blindness America, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Society for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and the American Academy of Family Physicians have endorsed the bill.
Amblyopia and strabismus have been previously identified as the most common cause of visual impairment in children.
“We enthusiastically endorse this legislation because it is such a wise use of scarce public health funds,” said Daniel D. Garrett, senior vice president of Prevent Blindness America. The association is “particularly impressed with Rep. Fossella’s strategy to target funds who have already been identified as needing follow-up care, but who would otherwise not get it. PBA serves those children on a regular basis and we know they will benefit from the program,” Mr. Garrett said.