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AOAExcel maximizes membership benefits, supports association
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DENVER – AOAExcel, which was created in 2012 as an American Optometric Association member benefit, has increased its support of the organization, AOAExcel chairman of the board, Joe Ellis, OD, told the AOA House of Delegates here at Optometry’s Meeting.
“AOAExcel has two main goals,” Ellis said, “to increase AOA membership and help the AOA parent in financial support. Today you will see AOAExcel is one of the key sponsors of the AOA.
“Last year we did a marketing plan with AOA for $200,000,” he continued. “This year we increased support to $250,000.”
AOAExcel managing director Bob Kehm said the program maximizes member benefits, including student loan refinancing and student loan best practice webinars.
With an average refinancing of $159,000, the total amount of student loans that have been financed through AOAExcel since last fall is $14,772,131.59, Kehm said.
Other benefits include a group purchasing discount program and professional liability insurance review.
“We found a needle in a haystack this year,” Kehm said. “We started seeing trends in which there were small exclusions in policies that concerned us.”
Kehm showed an example of an exclusion that was added to one member’s policy on page 166 that read: “Bodily injury or property damage arising out of the performance of any surgical procedures including but not limited to laser surgery.”
“We know some of you do these procedures,” Kehm said. “We have people who can review your policy to look for things like this,” and AOAExcel membership includes complimentary policy review.
Other areas where AOAExcel can provide assistance to AOA members include: credit card processing, life insurance HIPAA compliance and retirement planning.
“None of this is fun stuff, but it’s stuff we have to do,” Ellis said. “We’re trying to make this as easy as possible for you to protect your income, practice and family.” – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO