AOA helps retrieve nearly $3M in claims, coverage reimbursement for OD practices
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Advocacy efforts by the American Optometric Association and affiliates have resulted in nearly $3 million in vision and health plan reimbursement retrieved for optometry practices, the organization recently announced.
According to an AOA release, approximately 200 doctors filed complaints over 14 months concerning issues with credentialing, claims denials, coverage concerns and more.
“Through these efforts, we have driven over $2.9 million back into doctor of optometry practices across the country,” Steven T. Reed, OD, AOA president, said in the release. “I want to underscore that it’s really important that, if you’re getting a denial or you have an issue, it’s likely not just a one-off issue. Typically, these are larger systemic issues that we can (also) work to address.”
These advocacy efforts were highlighted during an Oct. 29 AOA town hall meeting on reimbursement and coverage fairness, during which optometrists were also polled on key issues facing the industry. The No. 1 answer, provided by 84% of respondents, was “challenges with health and vision plans,” while 98% said plans create barriers to renegotiating fee schedules.
Other items discussed at the town hall included the Dental and Optometric Care (DOC) Access Act, which AOA President-Elect Jacquie M Bowen, OD, noted has the support of more than 100 House and Senate lawmakers. “That’s a good number, and we are in a great place,” she said.
The DOC Access Act prohibits price fixing for noncovered services and materials and the limitation of patients’ and doctors’ choices of labs, Healio previously reported.
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