News Posts
03/30/2023
Optometry Laser Surgery Bill to be Introduced in Ohio
On March 6, members of the OOS Board met with leadership from the Ohio Optometric Association to discuss the forthcoming optometry scope of practice legislation in Ohio. We will need the help of every OOS member to advocate for our profession and patients moving forward. Here's what you can do...
03/29/2023
Advocacy Update
In addition to the pending optometric laser surgery bill, there is additional activity at the state level impacting ophthalmology practices—including a significant proposed increase in Medicaid reimbursement for physicians, the prior authorization "Gold Card" reform, and new telehealth rules now effective.
03/27/2023
2023 OOS Annual Meeting Recap
Our meeting on Feb. 25 was a great success. We had almost 400 physicians, technicians and nurses in attendance and a sold-out exhibit hall. Two Ohio Ophthalmological Society Professional Service Awards were presented this year to Dr. Bernard Perla and Dr. John Kunesh. The OOS is grateful for their years of dedication and service and ask all members to join us in thanking and congratulating them.
03/27/2023
Interprofessional Consultants & Alternative Delivery Methods for Care
More and more health care is provided in non-traditional ways—with the public health emergency telehealth and telephone services being accepted, the increase of EMR medical records, and there is now coding for digital evaluations. There are also codes for care provided without direct patient involvement. These changes include the Interprofessional consultations between health care providers.
03/26/2023
State Announces Partnership to Provide COVID-19 Testing Assistance for Ohioans Who are Blind or Have Low Vision
The Ohio Department of Health and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities recently announced their partnership with Be My Eyes and Accessible Pharmacy Services to offer a solution for Ohioans who are blind or have low vision in self-administering COVID-19 tests.
12/08/2022
2023 OOS Annual Meeting Registration is Open!
Registration is open for the Feb. 25, 2023 OOS Annual Meeting at the Hilton Columbus at Easton.
12/07/2022
Recent Advocacy Report
Get the latest State of Ohio and Federal activity and take action to push Congress to pass legislation before the end of the year that would avert significant cuts to the Medicare fee schedule.
12/06/2022
E/M Changes for 2023 and How They Impact Ophthalmology
Most of you may have heard that there are changes in the E/M documentation and coding process for 2023 for the E/M codes (99202 through all the E/M codes) not the vision codes (92002-92014 codes). For the outpatient care codes with the 99201-99215 codes, where most of your care takes place, the changes are minor. For physicians who provide support in the inpatient settings, nursing homes or in other facilities, the process that was initiated in 2021 for documenting care on appropriate level of history and exam with medical decision making or total time of clinical activities for an identified date will be the process for all E/M care in 2023.
12/05/2022
The Ohio Amblyope Registry is Here to Help!
Do you have any patients that are undergoing patching therapy for amblyopia treatment? See what The Ohio Amblyope Registry can provide...
11/30/2022
Ohio Medicaid Announces Delay in Launch of Fiscal Intermediary & New Managed Care Plans
Many OOS members have been impacted by recent changes in the Medicaid program announced earlier this year. While the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) has moved forward with implementation of OhioRISE, Single Pharmacy Benefit Manager (SPBM) and Centralized Credentialing, there are now delays in other transitions originally scheduled to take place on Dec. 1 that impact how claims are filed and new managed care companies.
08/09/2022
Your New OOS Board Members
With individuals being term limited, moving to executive committee roles, or resigning due to other professional opportunities, the OOS held elections this summer and now has seven new board members representing our different areas of the state.
08/09/2022
Play Hard. Don’t Blink. Program Grant Renewed!
We are pleased to report that the Play Hard. Don’t Blink. program (PHDB) has been funded for another year by the Ohio Department of Health’s Save Our Sight fund! For the past 22 years, the PHDB program has provided sports, recreational, vocational, and other eye safety equipment to young Ohioans across the state.
08/09/2022
August Advocacy Report
Now that the primaries are over, the focus has shifted to the general election this November—when we will be electing a new governor, U.S. Senator, Supreme Court Justices, and members of the Ohio General Assembly. Please consider a contribution to the Ohio Medical Eye PAC to provide the resources we need to be active in the political process.
08/08/2022
New 66989/66991 Vision Codes
There were a number of questions during the March coding and documentation webinar regarding the Ohio Medicaid facility claims for CPT code 66989 and 66991 at the physician fee schedule not the ASC fee schedule.
08/02/2022
Let’s think about how E/M modifiers “work” in Ophthalmology
The concept of modifiers and CPT coding is fairly straightforward, however sometimes we add modifiers without thinking about long term consequences and the view from the insurance side of payment. Here are a few basic facts to consider as you append a modifier.
08/01/2022
Your Well-being Checkup And Referral Engagement Service
August 1, 2022 – The need for well-being support has never been higher, and the OSMA Foundation is supporting Ohio's healthcare workforce with a way to measure factors like personal anxiety, depression and burnout and connect with credible resources who can help.
04/21/2022
OOS Members Meet Federal Leaders at AAO Congressional Advocacy Day
The AAO Congressional Advocacy Day and Mid-Year Forum brought more than 400 ophthalmologist from across the country to Washington, D.C. to discuss important policy topics and advocate for the profession. As part of this effort, OOS members met with several members of the Ohio Congressional delegation to talk to them about issues impacting ophthalmologists including Medicare funding and prior authorization reform.
04/21/2022
New OOS Leadership Elected at Annual Business Meeting
At the OOS annual business meeting on February 19th, Carla Ford, M.D., (Columbus) became the new president taking over from Kris Kelly, M.D., (Maumee) who led the organization for the last two years. Additionally, Aleksandra Rachitskaya, M.D. (Cleveland) was elected president-elect and Lisa Borkowski, M.D., (Columbus) was elected Secretary-Treasurer.
04/21/2022
What to do when a Medicare Managed Care Plan changes rules on refraction
(and perhaps other services in the future)… In January 2022, Humana notified participating providers in a letter that identified refraction services (CPT code 92015 Determination of Refractive State) are considered bundled into the vision codes (92002, 92004, 92012 and 92014) and not payable separately by Humana or the patient. Health Care Management Consultant, Diane Zucker, covers the details.
04/20/2022
Young Ophthalmology Section Update
On February 19th, 2022, the Ohio Ophthalmological Society (OOS) held the second annual Young Ophthalmology event at the annual OOS meeting in Columbus, OH for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
04/19/2022
OOS Annual Meeting Recap
Registration was more than 90 for the physician education sessions, and almost 300 attended the technician and train the trainer education sessions at the IN PERSON OOS Annual Meeting on Feb. 19 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton. It was so good to connect with old friends and make new relationships.
