• Northern Rockies Optometric Conference
  • Housing and Surrounding Area
  • Doctor's Education Program
  • Paraoptometric Education Program
• Manuals/ Guides/ Surveys
  • Manuals & Guides
    • Medicare Compliance Manual
    • HIPAA Resources
      • HIPAA Privacy Compliance Manual
      • HIPAA Security Compliance Manual
    • The AOA Resource Guide for Employed/Affiliated Optometrists
      • The AOA Resource Guide for Employed/Affiliated Optometrists: Part 1
      • The AOA Resource Guide for Employed/Affiliated Optometrists: Part 2
      • The AOA Resource Guide for Employed/Affiliated Optometrists: Part 3
      • The AOA Resource Guide for Employed/Affiliated Optometrists: Part 4
    • An Optometrist's Guide to Clinical Ethics
    • Recommended Curriculum For The Teaching of Professionalism and Ethics in Optometry
      • Recommended Curriculum For The Teaching of Professionalism and Ethics in Optometry: Part 1
      • Recommended Curriculum For The Teaching of Professionalism and Ethics in Optometry: Part 2
  • AOA Survey Data
    • Caring for the Eyes of America 2008, a Profile of the Optometric Profession
    • Economic Surveys
      • 2007 AOA Economic Survey - National Highlights
      • 2005 AOA Economic Survey - National Highlights
    • Third Party/Managed Care Surveys
      • 2008 Third Party/Managed Care Survey National Highlights
      • 2006 Third Party/Managed Care Survey National Highlights
      • 2004 AOA Third Party/Managed Care Survey-National Highlights
    • Scope of Practice Surveys
      • 2008 AOA Scope of Practice Survey
      • 2006 AOA Scope of Practice Survey
      • 2004 AOA Scope of Practice Survey
    • State of the Profession Surveys
      • 2008 State of the Profession
      • 2006 State of the Profession
      • 2004 AOA State of the Profession Survey Highlights
    • Consumer Surveys
      • 2008 AOA Consumer Survey Highlights
      • 2006 AOA Consumer Survey Highlights
    • Optical Dispensing Surveys
      • 2007 AOA Optical Dispensing Survey Highlights
      • 2005 AOA Optical Dispensing Survey Highlights
    • New Technology Surveys
      • 2009 AOA New Technology Survey Highlights
      • 2007 AOA New Technology Survey Highlights
      • 2005 AOA New Technology Survey Highlights
    • Practice Efficiencies Survey
      • 2007 Practice Efficiencies Survey Results
• Legal Tools
  • Professional Conduct
    • Terminating the Optometrist/Patient Relationship
    • Keeping Patient Divorces Out Of Your Optometry Practice
    • Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act: Complying Is A Serious Matter
    • When the Patient is Hearing-Impaired
    • Optometrists Beware of Marketing Traps That Are Illegal In Your State
    • Employees and Patient Confidentiality
    • Patient Referrals
    • The Stark Law: O.D. physician Self Referral
  • Antitrust Issues
    • The Antitrust Laws and Your Optometry Practice
  • Managed Care
    • Insurance Companies Seeking to Nullify Innocent Third-Party Creditor Rights
    • Will Your Insurance Cover HIPAA Problems?
  • Interprofessional Relationships
    • Ownership of Patient Records
• Managed Care & Insurance
  • New 2008 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Payment Rates, July 1-December 30, 2008
  • Evaluating a Plan/Making a Business Decision
    • General Considerations to Contracting with a Managed Care Plan
    • Chair Cost Calculator
    • RVS Update Process
  • Optometrist Access
    • Gains in Optometrist Access
    • National Action: AOA Managed Care Marketing Initiative
      • A History of Success
      • AOA Managed Care Marketing Initiative Success Stories
    • State Association Managed Care Toolbox
    • Medicare Advantage Access Study
  • Credentialing
  • Medicare Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI)
    • 2008 PQRI Test Measures Specifications
    • PQRI News and Alerts
      • AOA, CMS PQRI Forum offers OD-specific guidance
      • 2007 PQRI Final Feedback Reports Now Available
    • PQRI Measure 12: Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Optic Nerve Evaluation
    • Measure 14: AMD - Dilated Macular Examination
    • Measure 18: Diabetic Retinopathy Documentation of Presence or Absence of Macular Edema and Level of Severity of Retinopathy
    • Measure 19: Diabetic Retinopathy Communication with Physician Managing Ongoing Diabetes Care
    • Measure 114: Inquiry Regarding Tobacco Use
    • Measure 115: Advising Smokers to Quit
    • Measure 117: Dilated Eye Exam in Diabetic Patient
    • Measure 124: HIT - Adoption/Use of Health Information Technology (Electronic Health Records)
    • Measure 125: HIT - Adoption/Use of e-Prescribing
    • Measure 128: Universal Weight Screening and Follow-Up
    • Measure 129: Universal Influenza Vaccine Screening and Counseling
    • Combination of Measures
  • Coding Resources
    • AOA Coding Today
    • AOA.ReimbursementPLUS.com
    • Coding Learning Tools
    • National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI)
    • Updated ICD.9 CM Codes
    • 2008 Level II CPT Codes
    • A White Paper on HIPAA Transactions and Code Sets Regulation
      • Part I: An Overview of HIPAA Transactions and Code Sets Regulation
      • Part II: Direct Data Entry Systems
      • Part III: Claim Attachments
      • Part IV: Optical Industry Process Maps
      • Part V: Key Milestones & Dates for Transaction & Code Sets
      • Part VI: Appendicies
• Archives & Museum
  • AOA Presidents & Congresses
  • Honors and awards
    • The Apollo Award
    • Other AOA Awards
  • Bibliography : History of Optometry
  • Bibliography : Children's Books
  • Museum
    • Eyewear Cases and Containers
    • Contact Lenses
    • Decorative Items, Art, Photos
    • Eyeglasses and Spectacles
      • Twentieth Century
    • Four Lens Spectacles
    • Instruments, Equipment, Tools & Training
    • Lorgnettes
    • Martin’s Margins
    • Miscellanea
    • Pince-nez, Folding, & Quizzers
    • Recreational and Safety Eyewear
• Practice Management
  • Entering Practice
    • Map Out Your Optometric Journey with a Successful Business Plan
    • Developing the Large Optometric Practice
    • Feasibility Studies for ODs
    • A Simple Approach to Developing Business Strategy
    • Is Your Planning on Target? Developing a Mission Statement and Business Plan for your Practice is an Invaluable Exercise
    • You Can Be a Successful Negotiator!
    • Making the Deal: A Guide to Successful Negotiation
  • Operations/Business Management
    • Documentation/Compliance
      • Twelve Simple Ways to Help Avoid Claims Rejections
      • Documentation Guidelines Revisited: The First Part of the Four-Part Series
      • Documentation Guidelines Revisited: The Basic Elements
      • Documentation Guidelines Revisited: The Examination
      • Documentation Guidelines Revisited: Medical Decision Making
    • Patient Care
      • How to Offer the Best UV Protection for Patients' Eyes
      • Expanded Patient History
      • Telephone Communications
        • Telephone Triage
    • Staffing and Personnel Issues
      • Job Design: Keys to Motivation, Performance, and Satisfaction
      • What Do Your Employees Really Want?
    • Financial Issues
      • Making a Statement About the Practice
      • Why Every Optometrist Needs a Budget
    • Disaster Preparation and Planning
    • Supply & Inventory
      • Beware of marketing traps that are illegal in your state
    • Managed Care
      • Watch Out for Managed Care Anti-trust Traps
      • Do Your Vision Care Plans Make the Grade?
      • So Many Plans, So Little Time: Coping with Multiple Managed Care Plans
      • Chart Audits For Better Plan Compliance
      • 25 Questions To Ask Before Joining A Third Party Prepaid Plan
  • Special Interest Areas
    • Children's Vision and Vision Therapy
      • Incorporating Pediatric Eye Care Into Primary Care Practice
      • Vision Therapy Only
      • Vision Therapy Co-Management
    • Computer Vision
      • Do Third-Party Plans Really Pay for CVS Care?
      • Marketing a Computer Vision Practice
      • Nine Steps to Computer Vision Practice
  • Exit Strategies
    • Valuing an Optometric Practice
    • Determining Practice Value
    • Don't Procrastinate...Associate!
  • Marketing Tools
    • An Optometrist’s Guide to Marketing
      • Part I: An Introduction to Marketing
      • Part II: Developing Marketing Opportunities
      • Part III: Developing the Marketing Mix
      • Part IV: Managing the Marketing Effort
    • Customizable News Releases
    • Growing a Practice Outside the Walls: Setting Up an External Marketing Program
    • Healthy Eyes Healthy People...Healthy Practices!
  • Practice Assistance Program
• Event Calendar
• Clinical Care
  • Allergan Launches Latisse™ as Treatment for Hypotrichosis
  • Presentation to the FDA Advisory Panel on Contact Lens Solutions
  • Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) Associated with Systemic Alpha-1 Blockers
  • AOA Optometric Clinical Practice Guidelines
  • Quick Reference Guides
  • Clinical Care Publications
  • AOA Diabetes Eye Report form
  • Council on Research
    • Summer Invitational Research Institute
  • Patient Care
    • Geriatrics and Nursing Facility
      • Facts about Optometric Nursing Facility Care
      • Instruments and Equipment
      • A Recommended Continuing Education Curriculum: Geriatric Optometry for the Primary Care Practice
    • Hospital Practice
      • Hospital Privileges Manual
        • Hospital Privileges Manual: Part II: The Importance of Optometry to the Hospital
        • Hospital Privileges Manual: Part III: Hospital Bylaws and Legal Issues in Hospital Privileging
        • Hospital Privileges Manual: Part IV: How to Obtain Hospital Privileges
        • Hospital Privileges Manual: Part V: The Hospital-Based Optometric Examination
      • American Optometric Association Guidelines for Delineation of Clinical Privileges for Optometry
    • Pediatrics and Binocular Vision
      • Vision: A Collaboration of Eyes and Brain
      • The Need for Comprehensive Vision Examination of Preschool and School-age Children
      • Vision Therapy
        • Optometric Co-Management of Vision Therapy
      • Vision, Learning and Dyslexia
      • The Use of Tinted Lenses and Colored Overlays for the Treatment of Dyslexia and Other Related Reading and Learning Disorders
      • Optometric Care of the Patient with Acquired Brain Injury
    • Primary Care
      • Optometric Clinical Practice Recommendations
  • Environmental / Occupational Issues
    • Occupational Vision Manual Part I: Introduction
      • Occupational Vision Manual: Part II: Performance and Productivity in the Work Place
      • Occupational Vision Manual: Part III: Ocular Protection
      • Occupational Vision Manual: Part IV: Contact Lens Use In Industry
      • Occupational Vision Manual: Part V: Medico-Legal and Ethical Concerns Regarding Standards and Regulations
      • Occupational Vision Manual: References and Sources for Further Information
    • Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)
      • Computer Vision Syndrome Symptoms
      • The Relationship of Computer Vision Syndrome to Musculoskeletal Disorders
      • Impact of Computer Use on Children's Vision
      • The Effects of Video Display Terminal Use on Eye Health and Vision
      • Criteria for Determining Whether the Need for Eyeglasses or Other Treatment is Related to Computer Use
    • Motorist Vision Policy
    • Recommendations for the Use of Laser Pointers
  • Ophthalmic Standards
  • Commission on Quality Assessment & Improvement
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Aviation Vision
    • Comparison of Bifocal and Progressive Addition Lenses on Aviator Target Detection Performance
    • Eyes, Right
    • LASIK Refractive Surgery: Clinical Considerations for the Pilot
    • Special Ophthalmic Needs of Aviators
    • Sunglasses in Aviation
    • Ultraviolet Radiation: Hazards in Aviation
    • Eye Exams and Aviation: Prescription for Success
    • The Eye and Night Vision
    • Adjusting to New Spectacles the Easy Way
    • Prescribing Spectacles for Aviators
  • Community Health Centers
    • Community Health Center Optometry
    • Publications and Research

Gains in Optometrist Access

Wins for Optometry with Blue Cross Plans

States include: California Idaho Illinois Kansas Massachusetts Michigan Missouri Pennsylvania

Wins for Optometry with United Healthcare

States include: Arizona California Louisiana Nevada Oregon Texas Washington

Regional Wins for Optometry

Aetna Albertsons BellSouth Sagamore Arizona Colorado Idaho Kansas Nevada Oregon Texas Utah Wyoming Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia North Carolina South Carolina Indiana

National Wins for Optometry