Where does Pennsylvania stand?

As president of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association, one of my volunteer duties includes attending the American Optometric Association’s Optometry’s Meeting, which was held in Denver, Colorado, from June 20 to 24 this year. While at the President’s Council, I gathered with other association presidents, president elects, vice presidents, and executive directors for a valuable opportunity to hear what is happening across the nation, both legislatively and with third party payers. For the last two years, I’ve heard of the battles many states are having legislatively, just as we are here in Pennsylvania. I want to take the time to update you where Pennsylvania stands in the nation.

Pennsylvania is one of two states that continue to use an outdated, antiquated process through the Secretary of Health to authorize new medications for the treatment of eye disease. This process undeniably delays care to the citizens of the Commonwealth. Currently, when a new medication is approved by the FDA for treatment of eye disease, we must request approval by the Secretary of Health and wait for approval. This process takes, on average, six to nine months. 

Pennsylvania is one of seven states that still need the hydrocodone fix. Access to care is crucial to Pennsylvania citizens. Optometrists, unlike ophthalmologists, are able to provide care to 99.9% of Pennsylvania. Doctors of optometry are currently practicing in 65 of the 67 Pennsylvania counties. Ophthalmologists have no direct in-county providers in 11 counties, forcing patients in 15% of the state to travel for care that could otherwise be provided by an optometrist. This means that, in those counties, optometrists are the only eye care provider providing access to eye care for 75,039 urban residents and 204,183 rural residents. The two counties in which optometrists are not currently practicing are also without an ophthalmologist. These counties lacking a local eye care provider are Forest and Cameron; together they comprise 2,677 urban residents and 10,124 rural residents. The population of Forest County is 100% rural.

Pennsylvania is one of 11 states that do not permit an optometrist, through the Optometric Practice Act, to give an injection to a patient for anaphylactic reaction. By law, even school bus drivers and crossing guards are permitted to give an injection. 

Currently, there are two pieces of legislation in the general assembly that affect optometry. Senator Ward’s Senate Bill 257 (SB257) provides Pennsylvania’s citizens protection from the actions of Vision Care Plans. The second is Senator Gordner’s Senate Bill 668 (SB668), to modernize Pennsylvania optometrists’ scope of practice. Please join me in the fight to pass SB257 and SB668 to ensure that our patient’s, the residents of Pennsylvania, receive the highest quality, most cost-effective eye care possible and protection from vision plans. More information and resources on these bills can be found on the POA website at www.poaeyes.org under the password-protected Advocacy section.

Rebecca Wincek-Bateson, O.D.
POA President

A is for Advocacy

By the time you are reading this, thousands of optometrists and optometry students will have converged on Washington, D.C. for the 2017 Optometry’s Meeting (OM). If you are a regular or even occasional attendee of OM, you would have noticed that this year was a little different. In the past, the AOA has held their Advocacy Conference every April in Washington, D.C. That meeting centered around visiting legislators to advocate for optometry-related bills. A big part of that meeting was student participation. A high percentage of the students who had participated in the Advocacy Conference converted into AOA members. Since OM was in D.C. this year, the AOA combined it with the Advocacy Conference, which meant a big increase in student attendance. The really cool thing about this was that a lot of optometrists will have had the opportunity to interact with their legislators and the students. If you have never had the opportunity to do this, I would strongly suggest you do in the future. Every year at the Advocacy Conference, we have had a number of doctors and students with no experience in speaking with their legislators. The hesitation—and sometimes even fear—in their eyes as we prepared for the visits was easy to see. The statement “you don’t really expect me to talk, do you?” was frequently heard, but it was really rewarding to see these same individuals taking the lead in the discussion by the second or third visit. Almost everyone would then look forward to coming back the next year.

So, this year’s meeting has given me the opportunity to strike this same fear into the eyes of some of our members that would never normally think of attending the Advocacy Conference. As I write this, I have already begun the process of recruiting a number of attending POA members into the ranks storming Capitol Hill in 2017. I can already hear the hesitation through the emailed replies: “you expect me to set up an appointment with my Congressperson, and then to actually go!?” Yes, I do! And I really look forward to the follow-up question, “when can we do this again?” The answer is coming to Harrisburg in the near future—stay tuned.








Steve Eiss, O.D.
POA President

Presidential year in review

By the time you read this, we will either have a newly elected president of the United States or be a few days away from the outcome. As I reflect back on my time as POA President, I can say that this past year was as unpredictable as the national election has proved to be. 

Here are some of the highlights from my presidential year:

• ICD-10 became a reality and doctors were still paid in a timely fashion. The POA Electronic Claims Service helped the transition go smoothly.

• The Pennsylvania Diabetic Eye Health Alliance continued to expand its influence with third party payers, resulting in more diabetic patients seen by our members.

• ACT 31 became a requirement for license renewal and the POA provided courses to fulfill this new requirement. ACT 31 requires all licensed health professionals to complete at least two hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements as a condition of license renewal.

• The Think About Your Eyes program for POA members was voted on and passed by the House of Delegates. POA members will benefit from the increased advertising and online presence that TAYE provides starting in 2017.

• Despite our best efforts to pass our scope modification bill, Senate Bill 1012 remains within the Senate Consumer Protection and Licensure Committee. Likewise, Senate Bill 795, which would further define ophthalmic surgery, did not see the light of day and remains within the same committee. SB 795 was introduced by Ophthalmology, who would like to see a very broad definition of ophthalmic surgery.

• Senate Bill 978, the “vision plan bill” that was introduced by Senator Ward, successfully made it out of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, and was passed 12-1. Our plan is to reintroduce both our scope bill and SB 978 in 2017 and keep the process moving forward.

• A data breach affecting optometrists across the nation was reported by the AOA. Many POA members reported being affected and were advised to take steps to protect their credit ratings and identity. No optometric organization has come forward to accept full responsibility.

• Optometry’s Meeting caught us by surprise when Dr. Greg Caldwell announced that he would not run for re-election to the AOA board for 2017. Greg continues to remain active on several committees at the AOA and POA levels, and remains dedicated to organized optometry. 

• The Contact Lens Consumer Health Protection Act (S. 2777) to crack down on unscrupulous internet based contact lens sellers was introduced by Senator Bill Cassidy, an internist from Louisiana, with support of the AOA and other major contact lens companies.

• 1-800-CONTACTS entered into an agreement with Opternative and began to offer online “refraction” as a way to bypass a visit to an eye care practitioner. An app called “Simple Contacts” marketed itself to consumers as a way to renew your contact lens prescription in less than five minutes.

• VSP wanted to implement a reduction in reimbursement to doctors who did not purchase $6,000 worth of Altair/Marchon frames. As a result of action taken by the AOA this program was stopped.

• Dr. Charles Stuckey announced his intention to retire as the POA Executive Director after serving for 19 years!

I want to take this opportunity to thank my current POA Board, the entire POA staff, and the POA membership for the opportunity to serve as your president this past year. It was truly an honor and a privilege to serve the profession and I hope to remain active within organized optometry for many years to come. The POA is in excellent hands as I pass the President’s gavel over to Dr. Steven Eiss. I am confident that under his leadership the POA will continue to be your voice for a strong optometry.

One thing I can say for sure is that under my watch there were no 3 a.m. tweets about any former Miss Universe contestants and no private email servers containing classified information at the POA!

Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful holiday season,

Mark M. Margolies, O.D.

My, How Times Does Fly…

It’s such a cliché, but certainly holds true in this case. It seems like just yesterday that I was talking to you about my New Year’s Resolutions for 2014. What a year it has been for both me and the POA!

For example, you may recall one of my personal resolutions was to strive to become healthier and hopefully trim my waistline a bit. Well, I can report that I’ve lost 10 pounds (it’s a start) and have become a pescatarian…OK, I’ll admit to an occasional moment of weakness when Wendy, one of those Five Guys or Mr. Fuddrucker draws me in like a moth to the flame! Leadership roles force one to come face-to-face with both personal strengths and weaknesses. I have definitely learned more about myself in the process.

I am proud to look back over the past 11 months and reflect on the good work that has been accomplished. The POA has moved forward in 2014, despite the barrage of challenges we face each year. What an honor it was to help host the AOA’s Optometry’s Meeting^® in Philadelphia in June! Even though it presented extra work for our staff, deviation from our yearly meeting schedule and added responsibilities to our Board members, I believe it was well worth the effort. Our Legislative Affairs Committee continues to be steadfast and diligent in their oversight of our current scope of practice in Pennsylvania during the 2013-2014 legislative session. We strengthened the POA’s relationship with Salus University by working closely with its new president, Dr. Mittelman, and PCO’s new Dean of Students, Dr. Lori Grover. This also involved hosting our yearly September Board Meeting on campus with a student event, which provided a fun and educational way for students to learn about organized optometry.

As for the “Year of the Child,” one of my primary goals was to share my passion for pediatric optometry with you and work on specific initiatives to promote the ideals of Kids Welcome Here^® that began in Pennsylvania many years ago. Back in May, things started off with a well-attended pediatric continuing education program in State College given by Dr. Jim Spangler, chair of the Pediatric Vision Care Committee, and Dr. Marla Moon. Dr. Spangler also helped gain nationwide exposure for the Kids Welcome Here program at Optometry’s Meeting in Philadelphia by staffing a POA-sponsored booth in the exhibit hall. In early September, the AOA InfantSEE^® program featuring Dr. Glen Steele and Tom Sullivan made a stop at PCO. I had a wonderful opportunity to speak to the students as an InfantSEE provider, pediatric optometrist and organization leader. In honor of this event, a Pennsylvania Senate proclamation was introduced by Senator Mike Folmer recognizing the InfantSEE program. Coming up during this month, the POA is very excited to host a six-hour pediatric continuing education program featuring Dr. Christine Allison; Professor of Pediatrics and Binocular Vision at the Illinois College of Optometry, AAO Diplomate in Pediatrics, COVD Board member and nationally recognized speaker, as well as Pennsylvania’s own Drs. Spangler and Grover.

While it’s wonderful to extol our accomplishments, the reality is that some areas still need improvement. Despite the significant efforts of both Dr. Donna Buraczewski and Dr. Greg Caldwell reaching out to our members and working with the AOA staff this year, we were not able to see substantial increases in our AOA-PAC donations. I must pass this continued work on to Dr. Richard Christoph for 2015.

I could not complete my year as president without sending my heartfelt thanks to my fellow 2014 board members: Drs. Owens, Christoph, Margolies, Eiss, Wincek-Bateson, Gray and Evans. No president of any organization could ask for a better team. Despite the hard work and productivity, somehow we managed to enjoy ourselves in the process! A second round of gratitude goes to our amazing POA staff: Deb Blanchard, Ilene Sauertieg and our newest addition, Kelsey Rodkey. Very few states in the nation have such competent and dedicated staff members. Ever since I became an officer of the Central Pennsylvania Optometric Society many years ago, I knew they were wonderful individuals to work with, and my appreciation has only grown stronger with each passing year. This sentiment certainly holds true for Dr. Stuckey, our executive director, especially when one witnesses the significant respect and admiration he has earned from other optometric association executives around the country and the AOA leadership. We are so lucky to have him!

I cannot break the tradition of my editorials, so here is my final ask (I hear many sighs of relief): if at all possible, take a moment to thank any POA member you know who serves in a volunteer leadership position; whether they serve in a local, state or national role or as a committee member. The AOA and POA would not exist without the never-ending dedication of all involved; these individuals spend many evenings and weekends away from family and hours away from their optometric practices. They do what they do for the profession of optometry, the selfless sharing of talent, time and passion that benefits every practicing optometrist. Ultimately, my wish would be to start seeing many new association volunteers who are inspired by these individuals.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your president for 2014; it has definitely been one of the most significant honors of my life. I also thank you for listening to me share so much with you through my editorials. My goal was to not only convey obligatory messages, but also to share a bit of myself in the process. As I pass the torch to Dr. Christoph, I know the association will be in extremely capable hands.

It’s not too early to start working on your New Year’s resolutions for 2015; that bedazzled ball will be dropping in Times Square before you know it!

Marianne Boltz, O.D., F.A.A.O.

POA President

With clarity and vision for all: Optometry’s Meeting 2014

Optometry’s Meeting 2014 in Philadelphia: we came, we saw, we learned...and had a fantastic time doing so! Like any major event one tirelessly prepares for, now that it is but a memory, we can thankfully take pleasure in the immense relief and satisfaction that comes with a successful outcome and job well done. 

Pennsylvania had not hosted an AOA meeting for over 50 years. What an opportunity! When the POA first learned that Optometry’s Meeting was to be held in Philadelphia in 2014, we knew there was much work ahead of us. I personally understood that this event would also be a major defining element of my presidential year. What an exciting honor it was to address my colleagues at the beginning of President’s Council, and later that day, officially welcome everyone to Philadelphia at the Opening General Session. I offered not only sincere greetings on behalf of the POA members, Board and staff, but also provided those in attendance a history lesson about the famous Philadelphian, John McAllister: the father of American Optometry. You can learn more about the “first family of American Optometry” in a short history written by Dr. Robert Owens at poaeyes.blogspot.com

There are several highlights I would like to share from the meeting. At the Opening Ceremony, I was thrilled to share the stage with “one of our own,” Roberta Beers. I have often said that the PA Paraoptometric Association and the paraoptometric profession in this country would not be what it is today without Roberta, specifically due to her enthusiastic dedication and perpetual volunteerism. The American Optometric Association obviously felt the same and selected her as the 2014 AOA Paraoptometric of the Year. Little known fact: Roberta is the fifth paraoptometric professional from Pennsylvania to receive this award! The ceremony concluded with a keynote presentation from Olympic gold medal winner, ice skating commentator, and cancer survivor Scott Hamilton. 

Bright and early Thursday morning the House of Delegates began with the traditional procession of state flags, each one being carried by the president of each respective state affiliate. I proudly waved our state coat of arms walking beside the president of Hawaii, whom I have gotten to know through the past several President’s Council meetings. If you read my first editorial, you will recall my passion for the 50th state! Pennsylvania was well-represented by 18 delegates that were made up of POA Board members, past POA presidents and local society presidents. To hear more about the House of Delegates – what topics were discussed, resolutions voted on and who was elected as the new AOA Board trustee – look for the article written by Dr. Richard Christoph, to be published in the next Keystoner. 

The POA member reception was held on Thursday evening in the Marriott hotel. Thanks to the generous support of the Philadelphia County Optometric Society, we had a very special guest at our reception: Benjamin Franklin! In addition to enjoying dessert, coffee and photo-ops with the iconic inventor of bifocals, another historic figure “worked” the room: John McAllister (rather, Dr. Robert Owens donning his finest colonial attire as the father of American optometry). During the reception we recognized the 2014 POA award winners and Roberta Beers for her AOA award. Attendees left with a special souvenir to commemorate Optometry’s Meeting 2014: a unique lapel pin designed for the event displaying the POA logo surrounded by a liberty bell. Dr. Richard Christoph did the major design of the pin’s logo, but production was made possible by the support of the Berks County, Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania Optometric Societies, as well as Dr. Barbara Yanak. 

On Friday morning, Dr. Charles Stuckey, Dr. Richard Christoph and I hosted the Northeast Optometric Forum breakfast meeting. These meetings are attended by the President, President-Elect and Executive Director of each northeast state affiliate and Ohio. Due to POA’s proficiency in the area of third party issues, this was the primary meeting agenda topic and triggered lively discussion. We also had the opportunity to interview Dr. James DeVleming, an optometrist from eastern Washington state running for the open one-year AOA trustee position. To end the meeting, attendees were challenged with a short Philadelphia trivia contest whose questions were developed by yours truly! 

I cannot help mentioning a unique opportunity that was bestowed upon me and fellow POA Board members Dr. Steven Eiss and Dr. Rebecca Wincek-Bateson. We were asked by the AOA Board to act as local ambassadors to dignitaries from Canada (Dr. Paul Geneau, president of the Canadian Association of Optometrists, and Dr. Barry Thienes, president-elect of the CAO and Dr. Susan Cooper, president of the World Council of Optometry) on Thursday evening; and from China (Mr. Cui Yi, chairman of the China Optometric and Optical Association, and fellow Chinese optical colleagues and optometric educators) on Friday evening. It was truly a testament to how respect, camaraderie and laughter know no language or cultural barrier!

After sitting in continuing education lectures or the House of Delegates all day, there were thankfully events that helped us end Friday and Saturday with some collegiality and entertainment. Many POA members attended the Pennsylvania College of Optometry reception and student outreach program fundraiser on Friday evening at the National Constitution Center. The Celebration of Optometry was held on Saturday evening in the ballroom of the Convention Center. Sponsored yearly by Hoya, this year’s event featured famous actor and comedian Martin Short. He sang, danced and showcased some of his beloved characters from Saturday Night Live and the movie Father of the Bride. It was a fitting way to end a spectacular conference!

Finally, I must take this opportunity to thank the POA staff; especially Ilene Sauertieg, Deb Blanchard and Kelsey Rodkey for the months of hard work preparing for Optometry’s Meeting in Philadelphia, but also for their support and oversight during the event. Of note, I received very positive feedback from President’s Council attendees regarding the Philadelphia Finder emails (listing must-see attractions, where to eat, shop, etcetera) developed by our POA staff from member suggestions, and sent out to all state affiliates prior to the meeting. 

For those of you who attended Optometry’s Meeting this year, I hope you left Philadelphia with additional knowledge and many good memories. It was wonderful to personally hear from many out-of-state optometrists who enjoyed their time in the “city of brotherly love.” I know it was a week that the POA staff and Board will not soon forget. So, on to Optometry’s Meeting 2015: Seattle…the Pennsylvania Optometric Association certainly set the “state host” bar high. Good luck, Optometric Physicians of Washington!

Marianne Boltz, O.D., F.A.A.O.
POA President