Association update: AOA advocates on Capitol Hill, AAO launches online learning center

More than 300 optometrists and students recently visited every U.S. Senator and House member in Washington, DC for the American Optometric Association’s 2014 Congressional Advocacy Conference in an effort to bring attention to optometry’s top priorities.

According to the AOA, the conference attendees spoke with lawmakers about:

• Full and fair implementation and enforcement of the new Harkin Law, which bans health plans, including “long-biased” Employee Retirement Income Security Act plans, from discriminating against ODs

• Securing new Congressional co-sponsors to AOA-backed bills-such as H.R. 855, H.R. 920/S. 1445-seeking fair treatment for ODs in Federal health programs

• Safeguarding continued full-physician status for doctors of optometry in Medicare and ensuring full-eligibility for new reform-based physician-level payment incentives

In related news, the American Academy of Optometry recently launched its Live Learning Center, which features a collection of recordings of educational sessions from its past annual meetings.  

The Live Learning Center will help ODs learn and obtain CE hours outside of the AAO’s annual meeting. The content can be accessed at any time using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Academy members can access the content for free, while non-members gain access for a fee. Tests are available for $25 for select courses, allowing for COPE-approved distance learning credits. 

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